TONY Abbott has denounced as "hideous" and "barbaric" a photograph of Australian terrorist Khaled Sharrouf's son holding the severed head of a slain Syrian soldier.

The shocking photograph — posted on Twitter by a proud father with the words "Thats my boy!" - drew condemnation from across the political divide after being published in The Australian today. The picture has attracted worldwide news coverage.

Barbaric image of Khaled Sharrouf's son a warning to the world: Tony Abbott