Muslim leaders in Australia have denounced the photo of a seven-year-old boy holding a severed head, calling it shockingly evil.
The uncle of the Sydney boy has said Australians should forget about the photo and that they’ve seen much worse.
The image shocked Australia, with the caption ‘That’s my boy’ posted online by his father Khaled Sharrouf.
“When I first saw it I couldn’t contain my anger and also my feeling for that kid,” says Iraqi Community Leader Doctor Jamal Rifi. “He, for the rest of his life, might not be able to recover from what his dad is doing to him.”
The father has posted other photos too. One photo shows his sons toting weapons. It is all calculated to offend.
“We see more and more just how barbaric this particular entity is,” says Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
Sharouf was born in Australia and lived in Sydney until he fled on his brother’s passport in December.
He has spent time in jail for his part in a plot to blow up targets in Sydney and Melbourne
“These messages are propaganda. They don’t represent the Islam that we know; they don’t represent the Islam that we practice,” says Dr Rifi. “This is similar to Nazi propaganda that took place in World War II. Nobody should believe them.”
Disturbing videos have also emerged showing Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) recruiters targeting children as part of their plan to continue the terrorist state.
“The chances are high they’ll follow their father down the same path that he’s going and therefore they’ll be doing harm to others and that’s horrible to think about,” says Greg Barton from the Global Terrorism Research Centre.
Some children have even been recruited as suicide bombers - a fate it’s hoped does not await these children.