SYDNEY, Australia – Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Thursday (August 21st) called the actions of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants "embarrassing" to Islam and urged leaders to unite in tackling extremism, AFP reported.

Yudhoyono said the scale of the slaughter wrought by the extremists in overrunning large swathes of Iraq and Syria, and the level of violence used, was appalling.

"It is shocking. It is becoming out of control," he said in an interview with The Australian. "We do not tolerate it, we forbid (ISIS) in Indonesia," he added. " Indonesia is not an Islamic state. We respect all religions."

The outgoing president urged international leaders to work together to combat radicalisation.

"This is a new wake-up call to international leaders all over the world, including Islamic leaders," he said. "All leaders must review how to combat extremism. Changing paradigms on both sides are needed – how the West perceives Islam and how Islam perceives the West."