This article, like many mainstream media articles, contains half-truth and outright falsehood: “His friend said he was shocked Bilardi joined IS because he had always described them as mischief-makers….’He wanted to join Nusra. I was shocked when he joined IS because he considered them Khawarji (a bloodthirsty 14th century sect) when he was there.'”
In the first place, the Khawarij arose, according to Islamic tradition in the seventh century, not the fourteenth, in the dispute between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Muawiya after the Battle of Siffin in 658. And Bilardi himself explains how he came to change his mind about the Islamic State, and to consider them the true caliphate rather than akin to the Khawarij, who made war against other Muslims, declaring them all unbelievers (which is certainly something they do have in common with the Islamic State). Bilardi wrote:
As the war in Sham progressed and the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham appeared and the ongoing fitnah in the region was ignited, I found myself still on the side of Jabhat al-Nusra and Ahrar al-Sham, agreeing with the assessment of the mischief-makers that the Islamic State were from the khawarij. I believed it a duty upon others to slaughter the mujahideen of the Islamic State and had no respect for them, falling for the many lies being spread against them. It was my conversations with brothers from the State online though that began getting me to question my view of the organisation and the stories I had heard about it. As the Islamic State began to expand, seizing the cities of Raqqah, Fallujah, Mosul, Tikrit and others, Allah (azza wa’jal) Himself exposed the lies of the liars and humiliated the enemies of the State, a clear sign that they were upon the truth. Slowly but surely, I would come to love the State, recognising that they are the only people in the region establishing the Islamic system of governance, providing services for the people and most importantly they possess a sound aqeedah and manhaj that has led to their correct and effective implementation of the Sharia.
Meanwhile, Bilardi could have read in his Qur’an that he should have enmity and hatred for his family members who did not worship Allah, and should not pray for them (60:4).
“Jihad Jake ‘was worried his family would spend eternity in hell,’” by James Dowling, Herald Sun, April 4, 2015:
A MELBOURNE teen who blew himself up fighting with Muslim extremists was deeply concerned his family had not converted to Islam.
Days before Jihad Jake Bilardi drove a 4WD loaded with explosives into an Iraq army outpost he told friends he hoped that his family would convert.
“It was hard for him knowing his family is kaafir (unbelievers),’’ a friend said.
His friend, who knew Bilardi from the Hume Islamic Youth Centre, said the teen was worried his family would spend eternity in hell if they did not convert.
The friend, who shares many of Bilardi’s radical beliefs, spoke to the Craigieburn extremist just three days before he carried out his suicide mission last month.
He said the pair chatted about world events — including Nigerian extremist group Boko Haram swearing allegiance to the Islamic State — and what life was like living under the death cult.
“He wanted to know about here, I wanted to know about Iraq,” the friend said. “He asked about the Muslims here like people he used to know.”
His friend said he was shocked Bilardi joined IS because he had always described them as mischief-makers.
Bilardi’s friend said he was lured to Iraq by a recruiter from the al-Qaeda linked Jabhat Al Nusra — who he spoke to online before leaving Australia in August 2014.
“He was planning to travel to Syria in 2013 before anyone had heard about Daulah (IS),’’ he said.
“He wanted to join Nusra. I was shocked when he joined IS because he considered them Khawarji (a bloodthirsty 14th century sect) when he was there.”…