I was, however, mistaken; the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria is instead seeking to spread its power throughout Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim nation:
It has yet to make any startling conquests in the Asian nation, but the Indonesian section of the Islamic State (formerly ISIS, Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant) has already started mass recruitment - as recently reported- in over 16 provinces of the archipelago. In particular, Aceh, the westernmost and majority Muslim area, is turning into a sort of haven for Sunni extremists, with the active brainwashing and indoctrination, especially of young people. According to a survey published in the local Serambi newspaper, in at least 21 districts of Aceh there is a massive infiltration of militants, as thousands took the oath of allegiance to the head of the Caliphate, the fundamentalist leader Abu Bakar Al-Baghdadi.
Last week, a man identified as Abu Jundullah said to be the head of the Islamist movement in Aceh; the foundation of the group dates back to the 1st January 2014, as the leader says "we are not the Indonesian branch of IS, but act directly under the leadership of Al-Baghdadi and we are all inhabitants of Aceh".
For the Indonesian Islamic leader Jundullah the presence of an Islamic State is explained by the "great work" done in Syria and Iraq; most affiliates in Aceh are jihadist veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and violent inter-religious conflict in Ambon and Moro, the Moluccas, 1999-2002.
He adds that the goal is to transform all districts of Aceh into "chapters" of the Islamic state "before 2015" and work has already begun with propaganda campaigns in the countryside [more].If the Islamic State spreads first to Indonesia, to where does it spread from there?
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