Not so long ago it was reported that a former economics student from Perth called Muhammed Sheglabo had signed up for jihad with ISIS. Now there's been an even more alarming story in the same vein.

Doctor Tareq Kamleh, who practised for some time in Subiaco, is now appearing in recruitment videos for the gruesome pre-mediaeval death cult. If this doesn't disprove the hackneyed ol' PC theory that Islamic radicalization springs primarily from legitimate anger against the greedy, racist eeevil west then nothing will. The guy was a highly trained, well paid, white, blue-eyed male professional. Certainly not an oppressed minority have-not by any measure.

He's obviously a very intellectually capable guy. But given that he's allowed his deep-seated emotional commitment to Islam to guide him he's made a spectacularly stupid decision. Talk about a useful idiot! 

Given that he's a qualified doctor one assumes that he's made some sort of ongoing commitment to upholding certain professional and ethical standards. Now, contrary to popular opinion that doesn't necessarily mean taking the Hippocratic Oath. But it's not unreasonable to assume he's pledged to follow a set of tenets something along the lines of the Declaration of Geneva:

AT THE TIME OF BEING ADMITTED AS A MEMBER OF THE MEDICAL PROFESSION:

I SOLEMNLY PLEDGE to consecrate my life to the service of humanity;

I WILL GIVE to my teachers the respect and gratitude that is their due;

I WILL PRACTISE my profession with conscience and dignity;

THE HEALTH OF MY PATIENT will be my first consideration;

I WILL RESPECT the secrets that are confided in me, even after the patient has died;

I WILL MAINTAIN by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession;

MY COLLEAGUES will be my sisters and brothers;

I WILL NOT PERMIT considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethnic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, social standing or any other factor to intervene between my duty and my patient;

I WILL MAINTAIN the utmost respect for human life;

I WILL NOT USE my medical knowledge to violate human rights and civil liberties, even under threat;

I MAKE THESE PROMISES solemnly, freely and upon my honour.

If you consider all the raping, pillaging, decapitation and immolation of apostates that Mr Kamleh's spiritual masters have been gleefully advocating of late, you'd expect him to be suffering some sort of cognitive dissonance -- or ambivalence at the very least. Maybe he has been, but it certainly has not been severe enough to stop him from going over there and agreeing to be used in their creepy online propaganda campaign. 

Just goes to show that you can disregard even the most powerful argument against your actions and beliefs when you know in your heart that you're doing God's work. Doesn't matter how powerful your intellect is, vile and sinister manipulators can get you to do pretty much anything if they mange to get control of your emotions.

Just remember that next time you go and see a professional -- medical or otherwise -- for expert advice in the outwardly good, kind, meek, well-meaning city of Perth. You never know, you could be talking to the next ISIS poster boy!