Career
Bilardi"s background has been described as radically different from other Western recruits and symbolises youth issues more than ideological ones. Born in Craigieburn, Victoria, Bilardi was a shy and lonely school student who was reportedly bullied by peers. 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. A recruiter for Jabhat al-Nusra made contact with him in August 2014, and he left for Iraq.
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.
According to a friend, Bilardi was concerned his family would "spend eternity in hell" for being non-believers.
