Jihad Jake's unusual radicalisation from atheist beginnings

No one radicalises themselves, but Australian suicide bomber Jake Bilardi comes pretty close, according to a leading academic.

Bilardi's story is equally interesting and unusual, Professor Greg Barton believes.

His decision to join ISIL is very different to others fighting with the terror group.

The Cragieburn teenager's blog gives a rare insight into his decision to join ISIL, explaining his journey from an atheist child in Melbourne's outer suburbs to a suicide bomber in Iraq.

"He started as a 13-year-old asking questions about international injustice and formed a radical position even before religion came into it," Prof. Barton said.

"No one ever self-radicalises, but he comes close."

Australians need to understand that the issue isn't a 'Muslim problem', but a community problem, similar to mental health or substance abuse, Prof. Barton says.

"We can't say it's just a Muslim problem - Jake came from a non-Muslim background," he said.

"And in Europe one quarter of those who go to fight for Islamic State don't come from Muslim backgrounds."

Identifying those at risk of radicalisation still needs some work, but it's up to friends and family to share any warning signs with authorities, Prof. Barton says.

"We can always say things could have been done better," he said.

"One thing we need to look at is educating places like the Hume Islamic Youth Centre so that they are better able to identify those at risk."

Prof. Barton is the acting Director of the Centre for Islam and the Modern World (CIMOW) at Melbourne's Monash University.