Jake Bilardi at 16
In April 2013, the HumeLeader spoke to 16 year-old Jake Bilardi in his capacity as co-founder and vice president of the Soccer for Hope Organisation — an initiative using the world game to take kids off the streets of Uganda. Natalie Savino interviewed Bilardi over the phone and said the teen was reserved.
“He came across as quiet and shy, but he did seem like he was switched on,” she said. “To be doing something like that (starting a charity) at such a young age seemed quite impressive.”
Former Leader photographer Rob McKechnie described Bilardi as “a nice kid”. Mr McKechnie snapped the ISIS recruit — then 16 — against a brick wall of his house wearing his Chelsea football club guernsey. “I only met him for five minutes but he seemed like a nice kid," Mr McKechnie said. “There was nothing out of the ordinary about him. He seemed slightly awkward but in a normal teenage way.”
Bilardi’s charity website, which uses a web URL including his name, features a biography on the teen detailing his efforts in supporting the African cause, despite living in Melbourne.
Jake Bilardi: “I support the SHO through funding, helping to acquire equipment and by spreading the word about the organisation. I am proud to work for the SHO and will always make (the) work needed to support the organisation some of my top priorities.”
Jake Bilardi bullied
Video surfaced overnight from his school days which shows Jake Bilardi being 'happy slapped' - a bullying tactic which sees a group of people slap their victim, film it and upload it online to humiliate them.
"He was quiet and barely had any friends. Whenever you tried to joke with him he would react aggressively."
"Jake was really bright. He was quite politically aware for his age, but he never seemed very happy. I'm not sure why. He usually just listened to us and sometimes talked but rarely. He would just talk about math, etc."
"Jake was a remarkable man. Strong willed and had a beautiful nature about him when I first met him. Kind and humble, curiosity was one of his best characteristics. The guy’s observational skills, before you would approach him or he'd walk up to you, he had already gotten a good glimpse of who you are and what you would be like. Unfortunately, people didn't see such a gifted person. Only a shy, innocent kid where people could see an opportunity to make a laugh and take advantage over him."
Jake Bilardi school photo
Jake Bilardi: "I think my family is plotting to kill me. I think I'm being watched through hidden cameras."
"He always looked depressed and was always looking down. He never communicated unless it was to do with culture and beliefs or maths, he always listened to our conversations. Not many people knew him and he never opened himself up."
"Jake didn't really seem happy before he converted to Islam. Afterwards though, he seemed more joyful. He was always extremely smart, quite timid and that didnt really change after he converted."
"I've actually never seen him utter a word at the table when I was serving the food, cleaning up the table, nothing. He was the last person I would expect to actually go there."
"Jake came to school one day late in Year 10 and just told us that he converted to Islam, but when we asked him why he would give us very vague answers, 'That's none of your business' and 'I think I made the right choice'."
"Jake wasn't capable of punching his way out of a wet paper bag. He was fragile."
Jake Bilardi around the time his mother died
Jake Bilardi is an 18-year-old Australian Muslim convert from Melbourne, who went under the nom de guerre Abu Abdullah al-Australi. I interviewed him over the internet in December shortly after a photograph of him appeared online, but he asked me back then not to reveal his identity.
JB: "It's out now, I guess to be honest my biggest problem is that it's a bad photo of me, haha."
I asked him why, if he thought there were injustices in the world, he didn't seek to resolve them through democratic means.
JB: "Let's be honest you can stand on a street and scream about wanting change and wait maybe 100 years for things to happen or you can grab a gun and fight and change things quickly."
He joined IS, and says he was fast-tracked through military training as he told the group he wanted to be a suicide car-bomber.
JB: "I came here chasing death, I might as well kill as many kuffar as I can."
I asked him whether, if nothing else, he had considered the impact his death would have on his family in Australia.
JB: "I've got a job to do. I didn't come here to hand out roses and boxes of chocolates."
Jake Bilardi, 17, around the time he converted to Islam
Jake Bilardi, 18, in Iraq
"With my martyrdom operation drawing closer, I want to tell you my story, how I came from being an atheist school student in affluent Melbourne to a soldier of the Khilafah preparing to sacrifice my life for Islam in Ramadi, Iraq.
"My life in Melbourne's working-class suburbs was, despite having its ups and downs just like everyone else, very comfortable.
"I dreamed of becoming a political journalist. I always dreamed that one day I would travel to countries such as Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan to cover the situations in these lands.
"I spent every day researching online ... and I was understandably very pleased when the Victorian state government introduced a laptop-in-schools programme, meaning I could now spend the otherwise wasted time in boring classes reading.
"I had wanted to stage a string of bombings across Melbourne, targeting foreign consulates and political/military targets as well as grenade and knife attacks on shopping centres and cafes and culminating with myself detonating a belt of explosives.
"As I began collecting materials for the explosives and prepared to start making the devices 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 until everything was prepared and I could exit the country undetected
"Now I am waiting for my turn to stand before Allah and there is a "current waiting list of 12 martyrdom bombers, of which I am one."-- Jake Bilardi, January 15
Jake Bilardi in February
JB: "What can my enemies do to me? My paradise is in my heart, it is with me wherever I go. To imprison me is to provide me with seclusion. To send me into exile is to send me away in the Path of Allah. And to kill me is to make me a martyr".
Jake Bilardi sitting behind the wheel of the van rigged with explosives
"Pro-Isis Twitter accounts claim that an Australian was involved in the bombings earlier today, and posted pictures show a boy that resembles 18-year-old Jake Bilardi. One Twitter user posted a picture that appeared the show the young man behind the wheel of a van and then the vehicle on a dusty street in an unnamed city.
"A second picture appears to show a white youth with long black hair sitting below an Isis flag with another man. The caption reads: 'The Australian brother who carried out Martyrdom operation in Ramadi, Al Anbar.'
"Police sources told AFP that seven car bombs exploded almost simultaneously in government-held areas of the Anbar province's capital. At least 10 people were said to have been killed in the coordinated blasts and more than 30 injured.
"In video footage and images posted online purportedly showing the attacks, thick, dusty smoke could be seen billowing from several buildings after the detonations occurred."
Jake Bilardi exploding
A spokesman for Iraq's military says the alleged suicide bombing by Melbourne teenager Jake Bilardi in Iraq yesterday had resulted in no fatalities among the security forces, only injuring several soldiers and damaging some cars.
General Tahssin Ibrahim: "This guy, he never do anything. He just kill himself. On our side ... he just destroyed some cars and injured little soldiers."
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p.s. Hey. I'm already headlong into the first day of the sound mixing of Zac's and my film early this morning, so no p.s., and none tomorrow either. I'm still not sure about Wednesday. I'll let you know when I know. Today, think about Jake Bilardi. Thanks.