Donald Trump seeks shutting down Internet in IS-controlled areas

Shutting down the Internet will help prevent the terror outfit from using social media to recruit fighters, he said

Donald Trump, the frontrunner US Republican presidential candidate, has called for closing down the Internet in areas controlled by the Islamic State (IS) to prevent the terror outfit from using social media to recruit fighters.

"I would certainly be open to closing areas where we are at war with somebody. I sure as hell don't want to let people that want to kill us and kill our nation use our Internet. Yes, sir, I am," Trump, 69, said in response to a question during a GOP presidential debate when asked if he is open to closing parts of the Internet.

"ISIS is recruiting through the Internet. ISIS is using the Internet better than we are using the Internet, and it was our idea. What I wanted to do is I wanted to get our brilliant people from Silicon Valley and other places and figure out a way that ISIS cannot do what they're doing," Trump said.

"We should be able to penetrate the Internet and find out exactly where ISIS is and everything about ISIS. We can do that if we use our good people," Trump said.

However, Ohio Governor John Kasich, another Republican presidential candidate opposed such a idea.

"Is shutting down any part of the Internet a good idea?" he was asked.

"No, I don't think it is," he said.

Senator Rand Paul said Trump's remarks on Internet shows that he is not a serious candidate.

"Is Donald Trump a serious candidate? The reason I ask this is, if you're going to close the Internet, realise, America, what that entails. That entails getting rid of the First amendment, OK? It's no small feat," he said.

Trump replied, "And as far as the Internet is concerned, we're not talking about closing the Internet. I'm talking about parts of Syria, parts of Iraq, where ISIS is, spotting it.