MOSCOW, August 25 (RIA Novosti) - The President of Indonesia, the most populous Islamic nation in the world, has called the actions of the Islamic State (IS) “embarrassing” to the Muslim religion and called on all other Islamic leaders to join in fighting extremism on Thursday writes the Australian.
“It is shocking. It is becoming out of control,” President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in the interview.
Hi comment is a response to IS actions, as it has ramped up its campaign of violence and intimidation in Iraq and Syria. His call for peace will hopefully bring Islamic leaders together to combat the growing extremism of IS.
"We do not tolerate it, we forbid ISIS in Indonesia," he said. "Indonesia is not an Islamic state. We respect all religions."
He also called on all international leaders to rise up and cooperate in the fighting of extremism. “I also appeal to community leaders to help the government in reaching out to their respective members on the danger of ISIS. I am glad that many of Indonesia’s religious organisations are of the same view with the government.”
From his own country, possibly 200 Indonesians are thought to have joined IS in Iraq and Syria. To that he stated, “A number of Indonesians have joined ISIS to fight in Syria and Iraq,” he said.
“Our citizens here in Indonesia are picking up recruitment messages from ISIS containing extremist ideas. The philosophy of ISIS stands against the fundamental values we embrace in Indonesia. Last Friday, in my state of the union address to the nation, I called on all Indonesians to reject ISIS and to stop the spread of its radical ideology” he stated.
His words come as the US is having a national debate as to if they should reengage IS in Iraq and Syria. Many in the US feel the US is facing its most dangerous threat yet and should reenter Iraq militarily.
The IS is a radical Sunni group that has been fighting in Syria before launching an offensive in Iraq in June. Later that month, the militants announced the establishment of an Islamic caliphate on the territories that had fallen under its control.
