August 19, 2014 – JULIA A. SEYMOUR – WORLD Magazine

Muslims mark the first eve of the holy fasting month of Ramadan, at Istiqlal Mosque in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Associated Press/Photo by Tatan Syuflana)

Indonesia and Malaysia are no strangers to radical Islam, but ISIS recruiting in southeast Asia has caused a growing concern about the threat of terrorism in the region.

ISIS currently is fighting for an Islamic caliphate in Iraq and Syria but has plans for “global domination,” according to the  Daily Mail. At the beginning of Ramadan, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS, called for Muslims everywhere to support the group’s plan to impose Shariah law in all the territory it controls. In July, Christians were forced to flee Mosul, Iraq, after ISIS gave them 24 hours to leave or be killed. Fleeing Christians said ISIS fighters seized all their money and possessions at checkpoints.

Sooyoung Kim of International Christian Concern (ICC) said there has been an increased fervor for ISIS among Indonesian and Malaysian Islamic extremists in recent months. ISIS has had influence within the region at least since 2013.

In Indonesia, it is not illegal to fund or join jihads in other countries, so ISIS is recruiting openly there, Kim said. The group’s propaganda was widely available and could be found in mosques, but more moderate imams and the Indonesian government have tried to discourage people from joining ISIS because they consider the group too extreme, Kim said.

Many have pledged their support for ISIS, which is also known as ISIL or the Islamic State. Asia Newsreported in July that about 1,000 ISIS supporters organized a “mass initiation” ceremony in Solo Baru, Indonesia. At least 30 Indonesians reportedly have gone to fight with ISIS, and 56 others have applied for Syrian visas. Jailed Indonesian Muslim extremist Abu Bakar Baasyir recently took an oath of allegiance to ISIS while in a maximum security prison, according to Asia News.

Indonesia has the highest per capita Muslim population in the world at 88 percent but recognizes four other religions and has constitutional protections for freedom of worship. The Indonesian government now sees the ISIS influence as a threat to religious diversity and is taking action, banning YouTube endorsements of the group.

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