Indonesia says it is working to clamp down on extremists using popular social media networks, like Twitter and Facebook to disseminate militant calls to jihad.

One jihadist message posted on Facebook and YouTube this month caught Indonesian authorities' attention. Police are looking for the author identified as Fata At Tamimi.

In his message, Fata described himself as military commander of a new Malay Islamic Caliphate, and called for recruits to "form in secrecy a Jihad War Army". According to his Facebook page, the writer is from Makassar, South Sulawesi, but lives in Kuala Lumpur.

"The posting must be an act of an irresponsible person who deliberately wants to destroy Muslims' understanding of the true teachings of Islam related to jihad," Central Sulawesi Police Chief Ari Dono Sukmanto told Khabar Southeast Asia.

"The person who posted this call must face justice," the police chief added. "The content in his posting is leading Muslims to terrorism."

Central Sulawesi police are co-ordinating with the South Sulawesi force to find the person responsible for the posting and if necessary, Ari Dono said his office would involve Malaysian authorities in the investigation.

The central government meanwhile, continues to monitor social media activity and will block websites posing any kind of threat, Communication and Information Technology Minister Tifatul Sembiring told Khabar.

In the past few years, his ministry has tried to take down more than 500 websites with potential terrorist ties that foment jihadist recruitment and spread bomb-making instructions, he said.

"I encourage anyone who has knowledge about dangerous websites: please let us know so our team can analyse them," Tifatul added.

Response from Makassar

Fata's message provoked a backlash in Makassar.

"The posting was misleading about Islamic teachings, and that could destroy the Muslims in the world. Of course, I do not agree with this because the post is calling for jihad to kill others. It is clearly prohibited by Islam," said Iksan Muhsen, a State University of Makassar student.

"Calls for jihad should not be made to conduct war or kill other human beings. Jihad means to convey good Islamic teachings," he added.

Others said most Muslims in Makassar were peaceful and tolerant.

"I am a devoted Muslim, and I was insulted to see the posting. The person used Makassar as his hometown, but recruiting Muslims here to kill others... That is indeed an insult for us," said local resident Ahkmadi Sukardi.

True meaning of jihad

In Palu, Central Sulawesi, cleric Kadang Kareba said Fata At Tamimi's call for forming a secret army to fight for jihad, twisted the word's real meaning.

"Jihad" is about abiding by Allah's words that the practice of Islam match the content of the Qur'an, Kadang said.

"It is necessary that we are not easily influenced by them. They are the enemy of Islam and want Muslims to practice Islam according to their tastes," he said of the extremists. "Islam respects the rights of every human life."