Jake Bilardi
{{Short description|Australian suicide bomber (1996–2015)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Jake Bilardi
| image =
| alt =
| caption = Jake Jihad Bilardi pictured with other ISIL fighters
| birth_name = Jake Bilardi
| birth_date = {{birth date|1996|12|1|df=y}}
| birth_place = Craigieburn, Victoria, Australia
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2015|3|11|1996|12|1|df=y}}
| death_cause = Suicide bombing
| nationality = Australian
| education =
| alma_mater =
| other_names = {{plainlist|
- Abu Abdullah al-Australi
- Jihad Jake
}}
| years_active = 2014 – 2015
| known_for = Coordinated suicide bombing in Ramadi, Iraq
| spouse =
| criminal_charge =
|module = {{Infobox military person|embed=yes
|allegiance = {{flag|Islamic State}}
|branch =
|serviceyears = 2014 – 2015
|rank =
|battles =
}}
}}
Jake Bilardi (1 December 1996 – 11 March 2015), also known as Abu Abdullah al-Australi, dubbed by the media as Jihad Jake, was an eighteen-year-old Australian suicide bomber. Bilardi's background has been described as radically different from other Western recruits and symbolises youth issues more than ideological ones.{{Cite web| title = Young minds need truth about Halal to prevent another Jake Bilardi| author = Angela Shanahan| work = The Australian| date = 2015-03-14| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/opinion/columnists/young-minds-need-truth-about-jihad-to-prevent-another-jake-bilardi/story-fn562txd-1227261847123}}{{Cite web| title = Iraq: Isis claim Ramadi suicide bomber was Australian teen jihadi Jake Bilardi| last = Crowcroft | first = Orlando| work = International Business Times UK| date = 2015-03-11| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/iraq-isis-claim-ramadi-suicide-bomber-was-australian-teen-jihadi-jake-bilardi-1491532}}
Life, radicalisation and death
Born in Craigieburn, Victoria, Bilardi was a shy, lonely boy and student who was reportedly bullied by peers.{{Cite web| title = Australian teen 'killed in IS suicide attack' in Iraq| publisher = BBC News| date = 2015-03-12| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-31843885}} Bilardi kept a blog describing his disdain for United States forces committing crimes against Muslims in the Middle East. He became radical after his mother died of cancer. By 2014, he expressed sympathy for Osama bin Laden on Facebook. Concerned that the Australian government was monitoring him, Bilardi turned to building explosives in the event he would not be able to leave the country.{{Cite news| title = Teen jihadi Jake Bilardi was preparing to bomb Melbourne|authorlink1=Michael Bachelard| first1 = Michael|last1= Bachelard|first2=Latika |last2=Bourke|author-link2=Latika Bourke|first3=Rania |last3=Spooner| newspaper = The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20151219165524/http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/teen-jihadi-jake-bilardi-was-preparing-to-bomb-melbourne-20150312-142lwy.html|archivedate=19 December 2015| date = 2015-03-13| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/teen-jihadi-jake-bilardi-was-preparing-to-bomb-melbourne-20150312-142lwy.html}} A recruiter for Jabhat al-Nusra made contact with him in August 2014 and he left for Iraq.{{Cite web| title = Blog of suspected teen terrorist reveals path to ISIS| last = Hume | first = Tim| publisher = CNN| date = 13 March 2015| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/13/asia/australia-isis-bilardi-blog/}}{{Cite web| title = Melbourne teen killed himself in ISIS attack| last1 = Hume | first1 = Tim| last2 = Lister | first2 = Tim| last3 = Luu | first3 = Chieu| publisher = CNN| date = 12 March 2015| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.cnn.com/2015/03/11/asia/australia-isis-teen-bilardi/}}{{Cite web| title = Jihad Jake 'was worried his family would spend eternity in hell'| author = Dowling, James| work = Herald Sun| date = 2015-04-04| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/jihad-jake-was-worried-his-family-would-spend-eternity-in-hell/story-fni0fiyv-1227291276176}}
Bilardi died in a suicide attack in Ramadi, Iraq on 11 March 2015. The Iraqi Army stated Bilardi's attack was unsuccessful, killing only himself. ISIL used his death as propaganda, in order to recruit more people to become suicide bombers.{{Cite web| title = Jake Bilardi's death used for propaganda value by Islamic State|author = Bachelard, Michael | work = The Sydney Morning Herald| date = 2015-03-17| accessdate = 2015-04-09| url = http://www.smh.com.au/world/jake-bilardis-death-used-for-propaganda-value-by-islamic-state-20150317-1m0ssu.html}}{{Cite web| title = Jihadi Jake Bilardi was 'weak' and 'sold his soul cheaply', says Islamic State online propaganda| author = Dowling, James| work = Herald Sun| date = 2015-03-17| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/jihadi-jake-bilardi-was-weak-and-sold-his-soul-cheaply-says-islamic-state-online-propaganda/story-fni0fit3-1227265378819}} According to a friend, Bilardi was concerned his family would "spend eternity in hell" for being non-believers.
=Reaction=
Prime Minister Tony Abbott, commented on Bilardi's death as an "absolutely horrific situation",{{Cite web| title = Aussie teen Jake Bilardi carries out suicide bombing says Islamic State| author = Jared Owens| work = The Australian| date = 2015-03-12| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.theaustralian.com.au/in-depth/terror/aussie-teen-jake-bilardi-carries-out-suicide-bombing-says-islamic-state/story-fnpdbcmu-1227259328956}} stating, "it's very, very important that we do everything we can to try to safeguard our young people against the lure of this shocking, alien and extreme ideology."{{Cite web| title = Exclusive: blog shows Australian teen reported dead in Iraq suicide attack had planned bombings in Melbourne| last = Safi | first = Michael| work = The Guardian| date = 2015-03-11| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/12/exclusive-blog-shows-australian-teen-reported-dead-in-iraq-suicide-attack-had-planned-bombings-in-melbourne}} Greg Barton, director of the Centre for Islam and the Modern World considers Bilardi a self-radical motivated by underlying mental health issues instead of religious zealotry.{{Cite web| title = Jihad Jake's unusual radicalisation| work = skynews.com.au| date = 2015-03-13| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/03/13/jihad-jake-s-unusual-radicalisation.html| url-status = dead| archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20150408003839/http://www.skynews.com.au/news/top-stories/2015/03/13/jihad-jake-s-unusual-radicalisation.html| archivedate = 8 April 2015| df = dmy-all}}{{Cite web| title = 'White jihadi' father: My son had a death wish and threatened family with violence| author = Jonathan Pearlman| work = The Daily Telegraph| date = 23 March 2015| accessdate = 2015-04-06| url = https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/islamic-state/11489369/White-jihadi-father-My-son-had-a-death-wish-and-threatened-family-with-violence.html}}
==See also==
References
{{reflist|30em}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Portal bar|Biography}}
{{Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bilardi, Jake}}
Category:21st-century Australian criminals
Category:Australian Sunni Muslims
Category:Converts to Sunni Islam
Category:Criminals from Melbourne
Category:Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant members from Australia
Category:Islamist suicide bombers
Category:People from Craigieburn, Victoria