ICC NOTE: The Islamic State is becoming not just a Middle East issue, but a global issue. After the Indonesia terrorist attacks, the Islamic State took credit for the deplorable event. The attack and the proceeding affirmation proves Islamic terrorism is a global conflict which must be fought by all. In Indonesia the estimated 25 million Christians fear they could be the next target similar to their brothers and sisters in Christ who face the sword in the Arab world. As the Islamic State continues to grow and spread, religious minorities will begin to feel threatened by the radical ideology which permeates Islamic terrorism through and through.
1/26/2016 Indonesia (One News Now) – A human-rights group says the recent terrorist attack at a shopping area in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, is another sign that the Islamic State is a global threat far beyond Iraq and Syria.
The Islamic State has claimed credit for the deadly bombings and shootings in Indonesia on January 14. It’s the first terrorist attack since 2009, and William Stark with International Christian Concern says that’s causing rising fears in Indonesia.
“When you see an attack that ISIS is claiming in your country,” he points out, “you start to fear does that mean that we could turn into another Iraq and Syria?”
By no means does he believe the ISIS threat in Indonesia is anywhere near what’s happening in the Middle East and North Africa.
“But,” he adds, “I do think people are afraid and wondering if they could hit the capital of our country, what else does that mean?”
Stark tells OneNewsNow there is a significant Christian minority population in Indonesia – reportedly about 25 million – and the recent terrorist attack comes at a difficult time as persecution has already increased.
“There is a fear that there’s an ideology that’s seeping into maybe minority pockets of the Muslim population,” he explains. “And even if it is just a few individuals here and there, that is enough to make the Christian population afraid that something could happen at a church next.”
According to Stark, Indonesia has a very good counter-terrorism force and he hopes that if ISIS is infiltrating into the country, officials can confront the threat.
