Australia's Muslim community has condemned the father of an Australian boy photographed holding the head of a slain Syrian soldier.
The boy, wearing a cap, checked pants and a blue shirt, can be seen struggling to hold up the head in the picture reportedly posted on the Twitter account of Sydney man Khaled Sharrouf, who is now an Islamic State fighter.
SBS contacted Khaled Sharrouf for comment about why he had taken his children to Jihad and he responded: "give me a good reason you'se will always chuck in spices to turn ppl (sic) against islam for a good story."
Dr Jamal Rifisaid is Arabic community leader and says Mr Sharrouf's actions do not represent Islam.
"Shame on Sharouf for what he has done to his kids, what he is doing to his community and to his religion itself," he said.
Dr Rifisad said the government needed to do more to stop young men going off to fight.
"Previously we have engaged, we have interacted and we have developed some programs. A change of government doesn't mean we have to reinvent the wheel in terms of de-radicalisation," he said.
But Mohamad Tabbaa, of the Islamic Council of Victoria, said there was an issue over who the government should be talking to.
He says many leaders within the Islamic community, including many Imans, are considered out of touch by younger members.
"They find themselves constantly on the wrong side of the table when it comes to these issues. The youth who are not very well connected to the leadership see this and get very angry," he said.
"When government thinks it's speaking to Muslims by speaking to their leaders, it's not engaging the community at all."
An old school friend of Mr Sharrouf's, who didn't want to be identified, told SBS fighting holy war was an obligation.
"The Muslims are going there for the exact same purpose as an Israeli zionist is leaving Australia...and that is protect the weak and take back their land," he said.
