PARENTS of vulnerable Australian-born Muslim teenagers are becoming increasingly fearful they’re helpless to stop them travelling overseas to fight for the Islamic State.

And increasingly young Muslims are at risk of being radicalised by prayer groups as mosques — with their old school imams and mainstream, moderate Islam — lose their appeal.

“There’s a father who is very worried about his son potentially being influenced — indeed being radicalised — and actually travelling overseas,” said Angus Llewellyn, executive producer of SBS public affairs program Insight, talking about one of the guests on Tuesday night’s combustible episode which canvasses the possible threat facing Australia when people return home after fighting for Islamic causes overseas.

The show’s producers invited Attorney-General George Brandis, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop, Defence Minister David Johnston, as well as members of the Federal Police to be part of the show, but all declined. The Federal Government last week dumped plans to repeal section 18c of the Racial Discrimination Act as it announced a new multi-million dollar refocus on counterterrorism.

DISILLUSIONED: Young Muslims go to fight in Middle East

SEVERED HEAD: Shocking image of Sydney jihadist’s son, aged seven

media_camera Declined to appear ... Prime Minister Tony Abbott, Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop and Attorney General George Brandis. Picture: Gary Ramage

AUSTRALIAN JIHADISTS: Call for Muslim recruits to take over Iraq

Llewellyn said the Melbourne father — who is referred to on the show only as Abdullah — has watched helplessly as his teenage son’s behaviour has changed dramatically over 18 months.

“He is a very worried and emotional dad. A very lovely guy. He would really break your heart,” he said.

Abdullah came here from Afghanistan and his son was born here, and says he can’t understand why his son would even want to go to Syria.

“I don’t know where he get brainwashed, where he’s been taught like this to do these things,” he said.

media_camera Passport revoked by Australian Customs ... Teenage Australian Muslim Abu Bakr stormed off set. Picture: Insight/SBS

However people such as Abu Bakr — who has had his Australian passport cancelled on security grounds and who arrived at the SBS studio wearing an Islamic State flag on his jacket — and Mohamed Zuhbi, who says he does humanitarian work in Turkey, represent exactly what frightens many parents.

Syria-born Mohamed has been here since he was 12 months old, but still believes the Islamic State is the future of Syria…“(and) the future of the Islamic empire to come.”

He makes “occasional” visits to Syria when he is in Turkey, but says he isn’t involved in any fighting.

Abu Bakr, 19, stormed out of the show’s recording late last week, shortly before a discussion on passport revocation. A “heated” conversation between him, his lawyer, Zali Burrows, — who’d accompanied him to the studio — and Insight’s producers ensued before Abu Bakr left.

The entire episode, which screens tomorrow night, is fiery.

“There are always heated discussions in a show like this,” Angus Llewellyn said, “and when people are talking about their relatives and their young ones, their communities both here and overseas being affected, they’re very involved, very passionate.”

Rodger Shanahan from the Lowy Institute used to work with the UN in Syria and Lebanan and said the question needs to be asked why Australian Muslims feel compelled to go to Syria and Iraq and join these militant causes.

media_camera Australians ... Khaled Sharrouf and boys, believed to be his sons, stand in front of the Islamic State flag. Picture; Twitter

Abdul Salam Mahmoud, an Australian citizen who works in Syria, said there’s an obligation under Islam to help each other, but the spokesman of the Australian National Imams Council Sheikh Mohamadu Saleem says it is not the duty of Australian Muslims to fight overseas.

“The younger people aren’t going to mosques, they’re going to these prayer groups and those going to prayer groups maybe have a different attitude towards the older imans, and the imams don’t have connection with the younger people,” said SBS director of news and currents affairs Jim Carroll.

“The vast the majority of the Australian Muslim communities are going to the mosques and the imams, but it’s these groups that object to what the imams are saying are going to these small prayer centres.”

media_camera Not the duty of Australian Muslims to fight overseas ... Sheikh Mohamadu Saleem of ANIC. Picture: Insight / SBS

JOINING THE FIGHT, INSIGHT, SBS ONE, TUESDAY, 8:30pm

Originally published as Aussie Muslim with ISIS flag in TV row