The Islamic State group has a high success rate when recruiting, and some countries where the organization recruis cannot legally stop them.
Indonesia is aware that IS leaders are coming into the country to attract support for their group, but the country can't legally stop them because the group did not actually commit a crime by coming in to recruit, reports The Associated Press.
ISIS targets the surrounding countries when looking for recruits. However, Indonesia, unlike Malaysia and Signapore, cannot detain someone without trial or criminal charges under limited, legally defined circumstances, or ban language, reports AP.
"If they have no record of terrorism activities then they can't be charged under our criminal law," Indonisian National Police spokesman Brig. Gen. Boy Rafli Amar explains to AP. The most the police can do is monitor the group.
"The Indonesian government has outlawed IS and ordered regional leaders to improve coordination and cooperation with security agencies to monitor activities regarding the spread of the group's ideology," reports AP. "The Indonesian Ullema Council, the country's top Muslim clerical body, has declared IS to be a violent and radical movement that tarnished the image of Islam as a peaceful religion."
The U.S. is in a similar situation as Indonesia.
American journalist Steve Emerson writes at Shark Tank that the U.S. Bill of Rights essentially has the hands of FBI agents tied because they can't legally investigate religious extremists in the country unless they already committed a crime.
