Indonesian police have named a newspaper editor a suspect in a blasphemy case over the publication of a cartoon critical of Islamic State but deemed insulting to Islam, a spokesperson said today.

Muslim groups lodged a police complaint in July after The Jakarta Post published an editorial cartoon that depicted an Islamic State flag bearing the Muslim statement of faith “There is no God but Allah” with the image of a skull and crossbones.

Muslim groups objected to the depiction of the profession of faith alongside a skull and crossbones.

The Post, one of two national English-language newspapers, later retracted the cartoon and apologised for any offence to Muslims.

Jakarta police spokesperson Rikwanto said police would question The Jakarta Post editor, Meidyatama Suryadiningrat, as a suspect next week.

Meidyatama, in a statement published by The Post Thursday, denied that the cartoon was blasphemous.

“We are amazed because the fact is we did not commit a criminal act as accused,” he said.

“What we produced was a journalistic piece that criticised the Isis (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) movement, which has carried out violence in the name of religion,” he said.

“It means that the Isis caricature was not blasphemous. We all know that Isis is an organisation that is banned in Indonesia and across almost the entire world.”

He said that the case was about journalistic code of ethics and the Press Council, not the police, should deal with it.

- dpa