JAKARTA - FOLLOWERS of a minority Islamic sect slapped with harsh restrictions in Indonesia this week are keeping a 'low profile' on Wednesday amid fears of extremist violence, a spokesman said.

Ahmadiyah sect spokesman Syamsir Ali said some of the group's followers were praying at home and trying not to attract attention after the government issued a decree ordering them to stop spreading un-Islamic ideas or face prison.

'In some cases (we have advised people) to keep a low profile and worship in their houses,' he told reporters.

'There has been no communication with us.'

'The government has given us no detailed information or elaborated anything with us.'

Two days after the government issued the decree in response to hardliners' demands for the sect to be outlawed it was still unclear what it meant for the country's small Ahmadi community, and for religious freedom in general.

Senior officials said the sect was entitled to worship in its mosques but could not 'spread' its unorthodox belief that there was another prophet after Mohammed.

But religious minority leaders and some moderate Muslims said the decree was so ambiguous it opened the door for extremist vigilante groups to step up their campaign of violent intimidation against Ahmadis.

'The grey area born in the wake of the joint ministerial decree is going to keep giving rise to tension. We hope that all sides act wisely. We don't want anarchic actions,' the Muslim-oriented daily Republika said in an editorial.

'Punishment has to fall on those who violate the law, both from Ahmadiyah and the general community.'-- AFP