Jakarta, NU Online
Indonesia – Islamic leaders denounced the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), and the National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) said Indonesians who support the militant group could lose their citizenship, local media reported Friday (August 1st). <>

 The comments come in response to an eight-minute YouTube video that allegedly shows Indonesians recruiting others to join ISIL. The National Police said they were investigating the authenticity of the video, The Jakarta Post reported.

BNPT head Ansyaad Mbai said Indonesians could lose their citizenship for joining ISIL because the group "is part of a foreign nation".

Meanwhile, Nahdlatul Ulama and Muhammadiyah condemned ISIL and its recently declared caliphate.

"We need peace and harmonious co-existence, not a caliphate. Our teaching is clear: no war among ourselves or with other religions," said KH Malik Madani, Secretary General of the Nahdlatul Ulama, according to Asia News.

Former Muhammadiyah President Syafi'i Maarif said, "The video that is circulating these days must be strongly condemned. Only a fool would choose to join ISIS."

Terrorism expert Noor Huda Ismail said Indonesia needed to use social media to create a counter-narrative against ISIL's arguments.

Editing by Sudarto Murtaufiq