Indonesia considers charging sect leader

Jakarta, Indonesia - Indonesian authorities are considering charging the leader of a religious sect with blasphemy for allegedly tarnishing the image of Islam.

But terrorism experts have questioned the priorities of authorities in cracking down on the al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah sect, when other groups which preach a skewed version of Islam - such as regional terror network Jemaah Islamiah (JI) - are yet to be outlawed in Indonesia.

Police have told the leaders of the al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah sect they will be charged if they continue their religious teachings.

The sect's leader Ahmad Moshaddeq - who declared himself the next prophet after Prophet Muhammad - handed himself in to Jakarta police with six of his followers on Monday.

Followers of the group do not have to pray five times a day or pray facing Mecca.

International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research head Rohan Gunaratna said unlike JI, the sect posed a threat to religion, not security.

"JI poses a security threat and a religious threat, this group poses a threat only to religion," he said.

"In terms of security this group is not posing a threat to security as yet."

Australia has previously called on Indonesia to formally blacklist JI, believed responsible for a string of violent bombing attacks, including the 2002 Bali nightclub blasts which killed 202 people including 88 Australians.

However, Indonesia has said the clandestine group cannot be banned because it is not a formal organisation.

Gunaratna said JI was a deviant religious group, similar to that being targeted by authorities, only much more violent.

"It is so critical to ban JI because JI supporters are still fundraising, (and) disseminating propaganda and recruiting members," Gunaratna said.

"These activities are permissible because its a legal organisation.

"(Authorities) must focus on the group which is posing the most threat, which is JI."

Indonesian Religious Affairs Department director general for Islamic community development Nasarudin Umar said the al-Qiyadah al-Islamiyah sect was being targeted because it was "directly attacking the very core of Islamic teachings".

"So from the highest levels to the grassroot level, people are becoming uneasy with their teachings," Umar said.

He said members of JI were usually "more easily taken into the right path".

"But these people, they're very hard," he said.

"They already have doctrines, vows, concepts to develop their teachings.

"This needs our big attention.

"We're not only thinking about the sake of Islam, but for the sake of this country."