Islamic Organization Calls for Action Against ISIS Groups in Indonesia

Jakarta (Antara) - Indonesia's largest Islamic organization Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) has called for firm action against emergence of groups claiming to be part of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Indonesia. "The government must be firm. The police must act," NU general chairman KH Said Aqil Siroj said here on Friday, stating NU's stance toward the issue. He noted that unless stringent action is taken against ISIS, security and integrity of the nation could be threatened. The NU board has rejected calls for joining ISIS and has also appealed to people to reject the propagation of ISIS ideology and its establishment, which has resulted in slander and disruption of the lives of Muslims and interfaith relations in the country, he explained. A video footage has been uploaded in the social media network YouTube, which had gone viral depicting an Indonesian ISIS fighter calling on fellow Muslims in Indonesia to join ISIS. Aqil Siroj stated that ISIS did not only fight for an Islamic caliphate but also spread an ideology that was against the Islamic ideology of "ahlussunah wal Jamaah." He said ISIS actions in the Middle East of using violence, including killing of clerics who were opposed to their ideology, were obviously not in line with Islamic teaching, which does not tolerate violence. "Islam is a religion that further fights for humanity and love for one another," he pointed out. As a mass organization, NU, he said, certainly could not act against ISIS and therefore had called on the government to take action, adding that NU, however, will not remain idle in connection with the issue. "The government must be firm. We as an organization will save community members, the younger generation. We will prevent radicalization. We are moving toward the early prevention stage," Aqil Siroj added. (*) Reported by Sigit Pinardi