Australians today are in shock that two boys who were in the local public schools only a few years ago, could today be engaged in some of the most barbarous actions of the modern century. We tend to think that Boko Haram, the Lords Army, Al Qaeda and its off-shoots all exist in another country with intractable problems that we have no connection to. Unfortunately that is not the case anymore.

Radical extremists have a history – a journey that influenced them. And this journey nearly always starts in childhood. Educators and leaders need to look closely at those young men who have been radicalized recently and track down some of the potential causes. This article will look at just some that may need to be addressed as a matter of urgency.