This is totally misleading. If it had not been armed by the "West",IS would be a fanatical, impotent, splinter group.

It's very difficult to know whether ISIS is the real deal, I'd say that like most organisations the rank and file are honest about their motivations while the commanders are corrupt.
This article misses the point that western liberalism invites men to stand for nothing while ISIS invites men to stand for something, all the west can offer is abstract ideas whereas Jihad is real.
If this gets any bigger we might also see numbers of young western men who were not raised Muslim joining the fight to secure the Caliphate against NATO "oppression".
After all, why would we men of the west lift a finger to defend societies whose greatest achievement is allowing a man to marry another man? Tearing around the desert in a ute with a band of desperados at your side and an AK-47 on your shoulder is a lot more attractive than sitting at home watching X-factor with your mum and working part time at McDonalds.

This article swings between superficial and ignorant.

The article negatively talks of:

- "Brigitte" - which turned out to be an example of successful liaison with the French security services, and

- Haneef - which turned out to be a politically inspired - pre-election - cause of the Federal Government. A cause forced on the AFP.

This article carefully excludes examples of Australian security services successes including:

- Operation Pendennis http://www.cdpp.gov.au/case-reports/operation-pendennis/ - which headed off terrorist acts by two cells - one in Melbourne and the other in Sydney, and

- The http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holsworthy_Barracks_terror_plot where a terrorist cell in Melbourne was proactively arrested.

The author is obviously ignorant of how the security system works in Australia, including intensive monitoring. The lack of a terrorist bomb going off since 1978 (Hilton bombing) shows success.

I believe there is a very real credible risk here, and indeed, activists who provide the problem, all while religiously denying there is one, after all, it's okay to lie to infidels?
Some people tell us, just by the vehemence of their endless denials/contradiction/patently pretended offence, that we do have a problem and it really needs to be dealt with!
First and foremost, by forced repatriation whenever and wherever possible.
Or cancelling passports and visas for overseas activists, while over there; who then would become stateless as far as we are concerned, for the rest of their natural.
Let them make a home with those who reflect their beliefs and bellicose belligerence, rather than be allowed to return and spread the rot to the rest of the barrel.
And it's an expression not to be taken literally.
Moderate Muslims must be made to understand, they are the first Target of radicalized Islam, which is the best oxymoron ever created, given it has nothing whatsoever in common with traditional Islam!
I don't know where these people think home is.
But if it's not here and with us, then shove off to where it is, and good riddance!
Rhrosty.

Thoughtful article about a phenomenon with parallels in the West.
Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori.
And I have wandered around many European churches and wondered at the emphasis on suffering, death and mourning, with images of saints and their trademark manner of death—St Paul with his sword, Sebastian with his arrows, Laurence with his barbecue etc

Personally If I was running the place any civilian who leaves Australia to fight in another country, would lose their citizenship and their right to return to Australia. I would make no exceptions; I don’t care whether it is to fight in the Ukraine, Israel, Gaza, Iraq, the Balkans, or anywhere else.