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lthough Indonesia is home to the largest Muslim population in the world, it only contributes a small number of fighters to radical movements in Syria and Iraq, a report says.

A US security strategic intelligence service company, The Soufan Group (TSG), has released a report titled Foreign Fighters, an updated assessment of the flow of foreign fighters into Syria and Iraq, revealing that the number Indonesians that have joined the Islamic State (IS) movement might be less than 600 people.

'€œIn summary, it may be more accurate to say that there are at least 600 Southeast Asians fighting in Syria. The vast majority is from Indonesia, with Malaysians at a distant second, while many more were stopped before they could leave the country,'€ the report says.

Based on its investigation, between 27,000 and 31,000 people have traveled to Syria and Iraq from 86 countries, dominated by Arab countries, North Africa and Russia.

The Indonesian government revealed in July that the number of Indonesians that had joined IS reached 700, higher than the count in the informal report.

The report noted that 30 to 60 Indonesians joined radical groups in 2014. According to the report, Southeast Asians were to initially form a group with central Asians, as there were now enough Indonesian and Malay-speaking foreign fighters with IS to form their own unit called the Katibah Nusantara (Malay Archipelago Combat Unit).

'€œSince July 2014, IS has posted propaganda and recruitment videos aimed at persuading Indonesians and Malaysians to perform a hijrah [journey] to Syria with their families,'€ it says.

Besides the number of Indonesian fighters in Syria and Iraq, TSG also mentioned 162 fighters that had returned from the war zone to Indonesia.

'€œThese fighters have since returned to Indonesia, some claiming disillusionment because they did not receive the pay they were promised. Another hundred, including women and children, were apparently deported from Turkey before they could cross the border into Syria,'€ said the report.

Terrorist expert Al Chaidar has cited several reasons as to why Indonesians were not flocking to Syria and Iraq to join foreign fighters.

'€œTo go to Iraq and Syria they need money, a lot of it before they can perform the hijrah,'€ Al Chaidar said.

'€œThe other reason; it is very difficult to reach Syria and Iraq and many fighter candidates were deported back to Indonesia, when they wanted to go to Syria and Iraq through Malaysia,'€ he added.

Indonesians also still doubt IS and other radical groups in Syria and Iraq.

'€œI would say that only 4 percent of Indonesians support IS,'€ Al Chaidar said.

The government has declared IS an illegal organization as it goes against the Pancasila state ideology. But the prohibition has no force of law.

Unlike in Malaysia and Singapore where IS supporters can be charged and detained upon their departure to the combat zone, local authorities still have no legal basis to do so.