News
Islamic State: Melbourne teen Jake Bilardi in suicide attack — reports
The screenshot purporting to show ‘Jake’ at the wheel of a van said to have been used in a suicide attack on Ramadi. Source: Twitter
A BLOG reportedly written by Australian teenager and radicalised Islamic State militant Jake Bilardi has revealed how he planned to bomb Melbourne before joining the terrorist group.
The online blog post which was titled From Melbourne to Ramadi: My Journey, could not be officially confirmed, but includes references to how he grew up in Melbourne as an Atheist.
The blog has emerged today amid unconfirmed reports Bilardi, 18, carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq overnight while fighting with IS.
It also comes as it has been confirmed that he left chemicals for making bombs at his family home, and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed Bilardi’s passport was cancelled in October as he was “on the radar of our intelligence agencies”.
Victorian Police said a subsequent search of his Craigieburn home uncovered chemicals that could be used to construct an explosive device. No actual explosive device was located by police.
Australian authorities then began attempting to track Bilardi’s movements in the Middle East.
Details of his life in the blog, in which he described “Melbourne’s working-class suburbs” and being “13 years of age” seem to be consistent with other reported information about his identity.
He wrote about watching Channel Seven’s Sunrise program most mornings, and seeing media reports of “Another attack in America, should we be suspicious about the Muslims in Australia?”.
“I saw the Taliban as simply a group of proud men seeking to protect their land and their people from an invading force, while I did not necessarily agree with their ideology, their actions were in my opinion completely justified,” he wrote.
With a keen interest in international politics, he explained how he found his love for Islam.
“It was from my investigations into the invasions and occupations of both Iraq and Afghanistan that gave birth to my disdain for the United States and its allies, including Australia. It was also the start of my respect for the mujahideen that would only grow to develop into a love of Islam and ultimately bring me here to the Islamic State,” he wrote.
Before leaving Australia for Syria, the blog contains claims he hatched a “Plan B” in case he was stopped by any local authorities.
His plan involved “a string of bombings across Melbourne, targeting foreign consulates and political/military targets”, with “grenade and knife attacks on shopping centres and cafes”. It would end with “myself detonating a belt of explosives amongst the kuffar”, he wrote.
He had reportedly collected materials for the explosive devices he would use.
“I realised that the authorities were oblivious to my plans but if anything was to attract their attention it would be my purchasing of chemicals and other bomb-making materials and so I ceased the planning of Plan B and sat waiting till everything was prepared and I could exit the country undetected,” he wrote.
After meeting a “brother” online, he managed to successfully flee Australia and cross into Syria border via the Turkish border into Jarablus, a town in the northern Aleppo province.
“Finally, I made contact with a brother online who promised to bring me across the border, it was a risky decision to trust someone online but I was desperate to leave and was confident the brother was genuine,” he wrote.
He had been officially converted from “being an Atheist school student in affluent Melbourne to a soldier of the Khilafah preparing to sacrifice my life for Islam”.
He reportedly signed up to commit a suicide attack but had a “failed operation” in Baiji, Iraq. “After I witnessed the mistakes made, I turned to fighting in the city before once again registering for a martyrdom operation, a decision that would bring me to the large yet modest city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province,” he wrote.
Bilardi reportedly died overnight in a series of suicide bomb blasts in Iraq, which killed at least 10 people overnight.
Jake Bilardi when he was in Year 9 at Craigieburn Secondary College/Jake Bilardi when he was in Year 10 at Craigieburn Secondary College.
In photos posted online by Syrian and Iraqi sources, Bilardi appears to be sitting in the driver’s seat of a white van that is later used to carry out a suicide bombing in the central city of Ramadi, currently the scene of a fierce battle with the Iraqi army.
Islamic State has also posted a “martyrdom” homage photograph of what appears to be Bilardi sitting underneath an ISIS flag.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not yet confirmed the teenager’s death, but Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the situation showed the “lure of the death cult on young impressionable people”.
“It’s very important that we do everything to safeguard our youngsters against this shocking and alien ideology,” he said.
Killing plume ... an Islamic State propaganda image allegedly showing the aftermath of a suicide attack on Ramadi yesterday. Picture: Supplied
‘I CAME HERE CHASING DEATH’
Jake Bilardi spoke to a BBC reporter in December and told him he planned to die in a suicide car bombing.
“I’ve been waiting for almost one month now and I’m next to go so inshallah [God willing] it’ll be soon,” he reportedly said.
“I came here chasing death, I might as well kill as many kuffar (infidels) as I can.”
Bilardi told the BBC he could change his mind if he wanted to but that he did plan to carry out an attack.
The Herald Sun spoke to BBC reporter Secunder Kermani this morning, who said he had reached Bilardi on Twitter last year and discussed his time as an Islamic State fighter.
He was also known as Abu Abdullah Al Australia.
The claims are supported by Iraqi security forces reporting Islamic State yesterday launched a co-ordinated attack on government-held areas of the western Iraqi city, involving seven almost simultaneous suicide car bombs.
At least 10 people were killed and 30 wounded in Wednesday’s attack, according to initial reports by police and hospital sources in Ramadi, capital of Anbar province.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was working to establish the validity of the reports of Bilardi’s death.
“The Australian Government’s capacity to confirm reports of deaths in either Syria or Iraq is extremely limited,” DFAT said in a statement.
DFAT said Australians fighting in with “non-state militia” in Syria and Iraq were putting their lives in “mortal danger”.
Home front ... a man believed to be partner of Connie, aunt of Jake Bilardi, hears of the unconfirmed reports her nephew allegedly carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq. Picture: Nicole Garmston
FAMILY IN SHOCK
Bilardi’s Melbourne aunt Connie arrived home just after 7.30am from a night shift but she did not speak to the media.
A man, believed to be Connie’s partner, later came out of her house to say this morning’s news was “a family affair”.
“We’re not going to make any comment,” he said.
“I’m going inside now, we’re not going to be talking to the press.”
He said he would not comment on whether Jake’s death had been confirmed.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said reports of the teen’s death were tragic.
“This is just evil. It’s unconfirmed, but if it is true, it’s desperately, desperately sad and tragic,” Mr Andrews told Fairfax radio.
“(It) really shows us that none of us are immune from these events, even though they’re occurring on the other side of the world.” Mr Andrews said he would be briefed on the issue as part of his regular security meetings.
“We can be very proud in this state that we’re a multi-faith, multicultural community,” he said.
“Harmony and respect is very important to us. Safety is very important to us as well.”
Disturbing news ... Connie, aunt of Jake Bilardi, hears of the unconfirmed reports her nephew Jake has allegedly carried out Iraq suicide bombing. Picture: Nicole Garmston
REPORTS ‘COULD BE TRUE’
Nick O’Brien, an expert on terrorism at Charles Sturt University, said Bilard’s involvement in the suicide attack “looks like it could be true”.
“Unfortunately because they (Islamic State) have some picture evidence it looks like it could be true, its very early days but there are also some other reports that indicate there are a number of suicide attacks in iraq involving other foreign fighters.
“So this just might be another cynical ploy by Islamic State to show foreign fighters in suicide attacks which is a tragedy for everyone,” he told 3AW radio.
Mr O’Brien said it wasn’t in the interests of Islamic State to lie about Bilardi’s involvement.
“If it’s found to be false ... no-one is going to believe them in the future,” he said.
“As far as I know Islamic State haven’t claimed it officially as yet but if they do I think it would be true.”
https://twitter.com/AlJJaballi10/status/575728348997009408
Professor Greg Barton of Monash University’s Global Terrorism Research Centre told Sky News this morning that young recruits such as Bilardi are likely to be increasingly used in such attacks as the jihadist group continues to retreat.
“Islamic State will try to spin this to his friends, and those who are looking on, that this is a great success,” he said.
“The reality is, despite all the propaganda, if you’re a young kid from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and don’t speak any Arabic ... you’re not much use apart from propaganda..
“So many of them become patsies who are told to strap on a vest or hop in the driver’s seat of suicide vehicle.”
In the company of killers ... Jake, centre, an 18 year old from Craigieburn, Melbourne. Picture: Supplied
IS may have used Bilardi to demonstrate Westerners will “put their lives on the line for the movement”, says Michael Wesley, the director of the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University.
However, he cautioned the reports of Bilardi’s involvement could be IS propaganda and he might be alive.
“I wouldn’t put it beyond them to make things up,” Professor Wesley told ABC Radio.
‘QUIET BOY’ RADICALISED
The teenager, a gifted student turned high school dropout reportedly lured by the death cult searching for answers after losing his mother, had also been making threats online, The Australian reports.
Before his profile was suspended he had tweeted about impending attacks.
“What we have in store for you dogs will make 9/11 look like child’s play,” Bilardi previously wrote on social media.
https://twitter.com/SimNasr/status/575688005479985152
n a previous post, the teen had reportedly warned: “Martin Place was just the beginning for you dogs,” referring to the December 15 siege in Sydney.
The Australian newspaper also reports he had boasted online of meeting one of Islamic State’s highest ranked leaders, Shaker Waheeb al-Fahdawi.
Bilardi is believed to have converted to Islam last year, surprising friends and neighbours.
Neighbours have described Jake as “shy” and “a confused boy”.
The teenager was reportedly living with two older brothers and a sister after his mother died several years ago from cancer.
https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/575736265246638081
He is understood to have changed schools last year before dropping out and fleeing to fight in Iraq and Syria.
Bilardi was seen pictured last year in a picture posted to Twitter holding a gun and standing in front of an IS flag backdrop with two extremists.
https://twitter.com/Generlashami24/status/575728366822686720
News of Jake’s radicalisation this week prompted Prime Minister Tony Abbott to promise a “crack down” on Islamic State recruiting.
“Too many Australians, it seems, are being brainwashed online by this death cult,” he said.
Islamic State: Melbourne teen Jake Bilardi in suicide attack — reports
- Network Writers, Tom Minear in Melbourne, agencies
- News Corp Australia Network
- March 12, 2015 5:39PM
The screenshot purporting to show ‘Jake’ at the wheel of a van said to have been used in a suicide attack on Ramadi. Source: Twitter
A BLOG reportedly written by Australian teenager and radicalised Islamic State militant Jake Bilardi has revealed how he planned to bomb Melbourne before joining the terrorist group.
The online blog post which was titled From Melbourne to Ramadi: My Journey, could not be officially confirmed, but includes references to how he grew up in Melbourne as an Atheist.
The blog has emerged today amid unconfirmed reports Bilardi, 18, carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq overnight while fighting with IS.
It also comes as it has been confirmed that he left chemicals for making bombs at his family home, and Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed Bilardi’s passport was cancelled in October as he was “on the radar of our intelligence agencies”.
Victorian Police said a subsequent search of his Craigieburn home uncovered chemicals that could be used to construct an explosive device. No actual explosive device was located by police.
Australian authorities then began attempting to track Bilardi’s movements in the Middle East.
Details of his life in the blog, in which he described “Melbourne’s working-class suburbs” and being “13 years of age” seem to be consistent with other reported information about his identity.
He wrote about watching Channel Seven’s Sunrise program most mornings, and seeing media reports of “Another attack in America, should we be suspicious about the Muslims in Australia?”.
“I saw the Taliban as simply a group of proud men seeking to protect their land and their people from an invading force, while I did not necessarily agree with their ideology, their actions were in my opinion completely justified,” he wrote.
With a keen interest in international politics, he explained how he found his love for Islam.
“It was from my investigations into the invasions and occupations of both Iraq and Afghanistan that gave birth to my disdain for the United States and its allies, including Australia. It was also the start of my respect for the mujahideen that would only grow to develop into a love of Islam and ultimately bring me here to the Islamic State,” he wrote.
Before leaving Australia for Syria, the blog contains claims he hatched a “Plan B” in case he was stopped by any local authorities.
His plan involved “a string of bombings across Melbourne, targeting foreign consulates and political/military targets”, with “grenade and knife attacks on shopping centres and cafes”. It would end with “myself detonating a belt of explosives amongst the kuffar”, he wrote.
He had reportedly collected materials for the explosive devices he would use.
“I realised that the authorities were oblivious to my plans but if anything was to attract their attention it would be my purchasing of chemicals and other bomb-making materials and so I ceased the planning of Plan B and sat waiting till everything was prepared and I could exit the country undetected,” he wrote.
After meeting a “brother” online, he managed to successfully flee Australia and cross into Syria border via the Turkish border into Jarablus, a town in the northern Aleppo province.
“Finally, I made contact with a brother online who promised to bring me across the border, it was a risky decision to trust someone online but I was desperate to leave and was confident the brother was genuine,” he wrote.
He had been officially converted from “being an Atheist school student in affluent Melbourne to a soldier of the Khilafah preparing to sacrifice my life for Islam”.
He reportedly signed up to commit a suicide attack but had a “failed operation” in Baiji, Iraq. “After I witnessed the mistakes made, I turned to fighting in the city before once again registering for a martyrdom operation, a decision that would bring me to the large yet modest city of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province,” he wrote.
Bilardi reportedly died overnight in a series of suicide bomb blasts in Iraq, which killed at least 10 people overnight.
Jake Bilardi when he was in Year 9 at Craigieburn Secondary College/Jake Bilardi when he was in Year 10 at Craigieburn Secondary College.
In photos posted online by Syrian and Iraqi sources, Bilardi appears to be sitting in the driver’s seat of a white van that is later used to carry out a suicide bombing in the central city of Ramadi, currently the scene of a fierce battle with the Iraqi army.
Islamic State has also posted a “martyrdom” homage photograph of what appears to be Bilardi sitting underneath an ISIS flag.
Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has not yet confirmed the teenager’s death, but Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the situation showed the “lure of the death cult on young impressionable people”.
“It’s very important that we do everything to safeguard our youngsters against this shocking and alien ideology,” he said.
Killing plume ... an Islamic State propaganda image allegedly showing the aftermath of a suicide attack on Ramadi yesterday. Picture: Supplied
‘I CAME HERE CHASING DEATH’
Jake Bilardi spoke to a BBC reporter in December and told him he planned to die in a suicide car bombing.
“I’ve been waiting for almost one month now and I’m next to go so inshallah [God willing] it’ll be soon,” he reportedly said.
“I came here chasing death, I might as well kill as many kuffar (infidels) as I can.”
Bilardi told the BBC he could change his mind if he wanted to but that he did plan to carry out an attack.
The Herald Sun spoke to BBC reporter Secunder Kermani this morning, who said he had reached Bilardi on Twitter last year and discussed his time as an Islamic State fighter.
He was also known as Abu Abdullah Al Australia.
The claims are supported by Iraqi security forces reporting Islamic State yesterday launched a co-ordinated attack on government-held areas of the western Iraqi city, involving seven almost simultaneous suicide car bombs.
At least 10 people were killed and 30 wounded in Wednesday’s attack, according to initial reports by police and hospital sources in Ramadi, capital of Anbar province.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was working to establish the validity of the reports of Bilardi’s death.
“The Australian Government’s capacity to confirm reports of deaths in either Syria or Iraq is extremely limited,” DFAT said in a statement.
DFAT said Australians fighting in with “non-state militia” in Syria and Iraq were putting their lives in “mortal danger”.
Home front ... a man believed to be partner of Connie, aunt of Jake Bilardi, hears of the unconfirmed reports her nephew allegedly carried out a suicide bombing in Iraq. Picture: Nicole Garmston
FAMILY IN SHOCK
Bilardi’s Melbourne aunt Connie arrived home just after 7.30am from a night shift but she did not speak to the media.
A man, believed to be Connie’s partner, later came out of her house to say this morning’s news was “a family affair”.
“We’re not going to make any comment,” he said.
“I’m going inside now, we’re not going to be talking to the press.”
He said he would not comment on whether Jake’s death had been confirmed.
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews said reports of the teen’s death were tragic.
“This is just evil. It’s unconfirmed, but if it is true, it’s desperately, desperately sad and tragic,” Mr Andrews told Fairfax radio.
“(It) really shows us that none of us are immune from these events, even though they’re occurring on the other side of the world.” Mr Andrews said he would be briefed on the issue as part of his regular security meetings.
“We can be very proud in this state that we’re a multi-faith, multicultural community,” he said.
“Harmony and respect is very important to us. Safety is very important to us as well.”
Disturbing news ... Connie, aunt of Jake Bilardi, hears of the unconfirmed reports her nephew Jake has allegedly carried out Iraq suicide bombing. Picture: Nicole Garmston
REPORTS ‘COULD BE TRUE’
Nick O’Brien, an expert on terrorism at Charles Sturt University, said Bilard’s involvement in the suicide attack “looks like it could be true”.
“Unfortunately because they (Islamic State) have some picture evidence it looks like it could be true, its very early days but there are also some other reports that indicate there are a number of suicide attacks in iraq involving other foreign fighters.
“So this just might be another cynical ploy by Islamic State to show foreign fighters in suicide attacks which is a tragedy for everyone,” he told 3AW radio.
Mr O’Brien said it wasn’t in the interests of Islamic State to lie about Bilardi’s involvement.
“If it’s found to be false ... no-one is going to believe them in the future,” he said.
“As far as I know Islamic State haven’t claimed it officially as yet but if they do I think it would be true.”
https://twitter.com/AlJJaballi10/status/575728348997009408
Professor Greg Barton of Monash University’s Global Terrorism Research Centre told Sky News this morning that young recruits such as Bilardi are likely to be increasingly used in such attacks as the jihadist group continues to retreat.
“Islamic State will try to spin this to his friends, and those who are looking on, that this is a great success,” he said.
“The reality is, despite all the propaganda, if you’re a young kid from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and don’t speak any Arabic ... you’re not much use apart from propaganda..
“So many of them become patsies who are told to strap on a vest or hop in the driver’s seat of suicide vehicle.”
In the company of killers ... Jake, centre, an 18 year old from Craigieburn, Melbourne. Picture: Supplied
IS may have used Bilardi to demonstrate Westerners will “put their lives on the line for the movement”, says Michael Wesley, the director of the Coral Bell School of Asia Pacific Affairs at the Australian National University.
However, he cautioned the reports of Bilardi’s involvement could be IS propaganda and he might be alive.
“I wouldn’t put it beyond them to make things up,” Professor Wesley told ABC Radio.
‘QUIET BOY’ RADICALISED
The teenager, a gifted student turned high school dropout reportedly lured by the death cult searching for answers after losing his mother, had also been making threats online, The Australian reports.
Before his profile was suspended he had tweeted about impending attacks.
“What we have in store for you dogs will make 9/11 look like child’s play,” Bilardi previously wrote on social media.
https://twitter.com/SimNasr/status/575688005479985152
n a previous post, the teen had reportedly warned: “Martin Place was just the beginning for you dogs,” referring to the December 15 siege in Sydney.
The Australian newspaper also reports he had boasted online of meeting one of Islamic State’s highest ranked leaders, Shaker Waheeb al-Fahdawi.
Bilardi is believed to have converted to Islam last year, surprising friends and neighbours.
Neighbours have described Jake as “shy” and “a confused boy”.
The teenager was reportedly living with two older brothers and a sister after his mother died several years ago from cancer.
https://twitter.com/zaidbenjamin/status/575736265246638081
He is understood to have changed schools last year before dropping out and fleeing to fight in Iraq and Syria.
Bilardi was seen pictured last year in a picture posted to Twitter holding a gun and standing in front of an IS flag backdrop with two extremists.
https://twitter.com/Generlashami24/status/575728366822686720
News of Jake’s radicalisation this week prompted Prime Minister Tony Abbott to promise a “crack down” on Islamic State recruiting.
“Too many Australians, it seems, are being brainwashed online by this death cult,” he said.
