Indonesian clerics issue terror ban

Indonesia's peak Islamic body has placed a ban on terrorism and suicide bombings.

The Indonesian Council of Ulemas (MUI) issued a binding religious decree, or fatwa, on terrorism and suicide bombings following its annual meeting in Jakarta on Tuesday.

After a day-long debate, the council ruled that terrorism was unacceptable under any definition of jihad, or holy struggle, falling outside the teachings of the Koran.

"Terrorism is haram (forbidden), whether it is terror done by individuals, groups or states," the fatwa said.

But jihad was still acceptable for oppressed Muslims, while death by suicide was still allowable in war zones where the intention was to create fear and more loss of life for the enemies of Islam, the council ruled.

"It should not be done in a non-war place, where it can cause someone to be killed," the ruling said.

Indonesia has been struck by several terrorist bombings in recent times, including the deadly Bali bombings and a suspected suicide blast outside the JW Marriott Hotel in Jakarta in August which killed 12 people.

In October, the master bombmaker for the al-Qaeda-linked terror group Jemaah Islamiah -- Malaysian engineer Dr Azahari Husin -- eluded a pre-dawn raid by police in the Indonesian city of Bandung, raising fears of more bombings over Christmas.