The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) does not deserve all the attention it is getting, according to one Indonesian politician, who has called the terrorist group "overrated".

"ISIS's strength is only at 30,000 while the number of countries that consider the group a threat is 40," Prosperous Justice Party ( PKS ) Chairman Anis Matta was quoted as saying by Kompas late last month.

"Terrorism groups are using ISIS to gain more followers and possibly to get more funding sources," Anis later told Khabar South Asia.

"But more importantly, ISIS does not represent Islam . It is about the power struggle among countries."

Colleagues and security specialists were quick to disagree about the security threat the group represents.

"We have expressed our concern loudly that we are acutely aware that ISIS is a menace, especially that their ideology of violence using Islam is unacceptable for Muslims in Indonesia," Hasyim Muzadi, former Nahdlatul Ulama board chairman, told Khabar.

Sri Yunanto, a National Counterterrorism Agency (BNPT) analyst, said Indonesia has an obvious historical reason for exercising extreme caution with ISIS.

"Back in the 1980s, we had many young Indonesian Muslims traveling to Afghanistan and Pakistan to support mujahids to conduct jihad against Soviet occupation," he told Khabar.

"Many of them have returned and are still likely in touch with the notorious al-Qaeda. Some of them also formed new organizations."

ISIS flags have been recovered at sites of various terrorist arrests this year, Sri said. "That is why for Indonesia, the emergence of ISIS is déjà vu," he added.

The government and community should work together against ISIS, South Jakarta cleric Ahmad Syaiffudin Marti said.

"Religious leaders must be aware of this ideology," he told Khabar. "If you find people preaching about it, you should not hesitate to report this to the authorities."

More importantly, Muslim students and parents need be aware of wrongful preaching and recruitment during prayers or over the internet, he added.

Paramadina University of Jakarta political observer Hendri Padley warned that ISIS has potential to grow in Indonesia.

"Information is being spread freely without maturity digesting that information," he said.

"Secondly, with a limited knowledge of religion, many Indonesians (Muslims) want to do good, but sometimes their interpretation is not correct."