Ex-model Sharky Jama killed as jihadi toll totals 20

Former Melbourne model turned ISIL fighter Sharky Jama has reportedly been killed in Syria.

By Mark Schliebs
Wednesday, April 15, 2015

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A former male model is the latest Australian fighting with Islamic State to be killed in the conflict. His Melbourne-based father, Dada Jama, was informed of the death on Monday.

Tributes to Sharky Jama, a 25-year-old former Melbourne man who had been based in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, 70km west of Baghdad, have been posted by relatives and close friends.

He is among about 20 Australians to have been killed in Syria and Iraq since 2012, with three former Victorians dying in the conflict over the past five weeks.

His family told SBS Somali radio that they had received a phone call from someone on Monday informing them that Jama had been killed in Syria.

Jama had died from gunshot wounds, his father was told.

At least two other people have declared online that Jama has become a “shaheed” — a martyr — while others who seem certain of his death have remained silent about its cause when offering condolences to his family.

Jama’s death comes as Islamic State released a graphic new propaganda video, said to feature former German rapper Deso Dogg, which depicts a man preparing for a knife attack in Australia on the group’s behalf.

The group claims in the video that it has given up waiting for foreign ground forces to fight in Syria and Iraq and that the West must become the next battleground.

It also comes as a new report from the Lowy Institute suggests that the terrorism risk posed by Australians returning from fighting in Syria and Iraq may be lower than expected.

It cited international studies that found it was those who had trained with terrorist groups but had not fought in any prolonged conflict who were most likely to plot attacks on home soil — but emphasised that returning fighters should be funnelled into deradicalisation programs as there was still a risk posed by them.

Jama was first revealed to have joined Islamic State by The Australian last year, alongside his friend, former university student Yusuf Yusuf.

A popular young man in Melbourne, he was often photographed smiling in nightspots with women as he pursued a modelling career.

But he had become deeply religious and travelled through Europe before heading into the conflict zone about seven months ago.

SBS Somali radio broadcaster Ibrahim Mohamed said Jama’s father was shocked when he was contacted by phone on Monday. “He got a text message and he received a phone call from Syria — someone has told him his son has passed away,” Mohamed said, recounting a conversation he had with the Jama family before broadcasting the story last night.

Last month, fellow former Melbourne man Jake Bilardi killed himself as part of a suicide bombing in Iraq. Another former Melbourne man, Suhan Rahman, was also reportedly killed fighting with Islamic State last month.

Jama appears to have left Australia in September, and created a Facebook account to keep in contact with friends and family while in Iraq in early November.

On November 2, he posted a “tribute to my beloved akhi (brother)” — Melbourne teenager Numan Haider, who was shot dead after attacking two counterterrorism officers in September.

Jama had claimed the teenager had also intended to leave Australia before his death.

While Jama was mostly cautious about revealing his exact activities in the conflict zone, he proudly displayed Islamic State’s flag online and spoke of the glory in fighting in the “jihad”.

“It is not everyone … is fit to fight in the cause of Allah,” he said in a Facebook post in December. “To do so is a privilege, and those who understand the privilege are prepared to sacrifice all their interests in this life, and life itself.”

One relative posted a photo of Jama to her Facebook page on Monday.

“Rest in peace my handsome lil cousin!” she said in a caption.

“All them beautiful memories and time we shared I shall keep dear to my heart. May Allah bless your soul and enter you jannat al-firdows (Paradise).”

Another posted: “The fear of death follows from the fear of life, a man who lives fully is prepared to die at anytime.

“To my beautiful cousin, the lessons learnt in your presence where priceless in any capacity the childhood memories we shared invaluable you’ll be greatly missed for you where (sic) great in every shade of light.”

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