The high profile deaths of three Calgarians connected to Islamic extremists may mean recruiters will look for fighters in other cities.

That’s according to Michael Zekulin, a political science instructor at the University of Calgary whose research focuses on terrorism and radicalism.

Multiple reports state Farah Mohamed Shirdon, a man in his early 20s from a Calgary, was killed in Iraq while serving with Jihadist forces.

His alleged death comes after two other former Calgarians died fighting with extremists in the last year: Damian Clairmont was killed while fighting in Syria and Salman Ashrafi died in a suicide bombing mission in Iraq.

“There is probably something that has been bubbling below the surface for awhile, but in a year it could be somewhere else,” said Zekulin of why Calgary seems to be a hotbed for people joining extremist movements.

While Calgary has seemingly become a “cluster” for people willing to join these movements, Zelukin said it only takes one person in any location to become interested and spread the ideas to those around them.

“There’s nothing special about Calgary,” he said.

“Once you have that one or two, they are able to reach back into the community — they know lots and lots of people and they know exactly what to say.

“It’s a movement that feeds itself.”

There’s greater credibility when the information and encouragement is coming from someone you know rather than being “sold” by strangers over the Internet, he added.

Social media has made the recruiting of new members to extremist groups much wider-spread and more sophisticated operations, said Zekulin.

Though Calgary has drawn a lot of attention for having been home to three people killed while fighting with these groups, Zelukin believes the target will move to a different area, if it hasn’t already begun growing elsewhere.

“With all the revelations that have emerged over the last year ... with all the attention (recruiters) want to move off the radar,” he said.

“That just means, unfortunately, that another city is probably going to inherit this problem.”

jenna.mcmurray@sunmedia.ca

On Twitter: @SunJMac