Bourhan Hraichie: Dad Ahmad tells how 'typical Aussie teen' became Islamic ...

A violent jihadist who carved Islamic State slogans into a prison cellmate's head was once a 'typical Aussie teen' who made his family laugh and dreamed of becoming an electrician.

Growing up, Bourhan Hraichie - now known by his nickname 'The Carver' – dominated Little Athletics, worked at Hungry Jacks and didn't enjoy going to the mosque.

But that was before the impressionable teenager allegedly 'fell under the spell' of a group of Muslim radicals behind bars.

His father, Ahmad, says his son was 'brainwashed' by these extremists and is calling for a royal commission into the widespread radicalisation of prisoners.

His call comes amid growing concern that jails such as Goulburn's 'Supermax'  - where Hraichie is held alongside serial killer Ivan Milat and some of Australia's most dangerous criminals - have become 'supermosques' that are breeding grounds for extremism.

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Apprentice electrician turned jihadist Bourhan Hraichie (above), 21, launched a brutal attack on his cellmate, a former Australian Army reservist, three years ago 

Apprentice electrician turned jihadist Bourhan Hraichie (above), 21, launched a brutal attack on his cellmate, a former Australian Army reservist, three years ago 

Hraichie's prison mugshot (left) and 

'The Carver': Hraichie as he is behind bars in Australia's highest security prison (mugshot on left) and (right) the results of his brutal attack on Port Macquarie resident Michael O'Keefe 

'He spiralled': Bourhan's father Ahmad Hraichie (above) said his son was an apprentice electrician from a good family - but lost control of his life after falling in with an older crowd

'He spiralled': Bourhan's father Ahmad Hraichie (above) said his son was an apprentice electrician from a good family - but lost control of his life after falling in with an older crowd

Three years ago, an enraged Bourhan attacked Australian Army reservist Michael O'Keefe at a jail in Kempsey, engraving a series of Islamic State slogans into his head. 

The 18-year-old screamed in Arabic to his fellow prisoners as he whipped O'Keefe with an electrical cord and carved him with a razor blade, leaving him for dead. 

The shocking attempted murder landed him in Australia's highest security prison, Goulburn's SuperMax. Bourhan then threatened to behead the boss of the state prison authority.

But his father, speaking to Daily Mail Australia as his son awaits sentencing on attempted murder and terror offences, claimed Bourhan wasn't a terrorist, but a kid from a 'good family' who had been afforded every opportunity.

Mr Hraichie said his son once dreamed of being an electrician, worked at Hungry Jacks and was a 'cute little boy who made everyone laugh'.

That all changed when the family moved to Greenacre, in Sydney's southwest, and Bourhan desperately wanted to impress the Year 12 boys at school.   

'He got onto drugs, he started to steal, his addictions grew and look what happened,' Mr Hraichie said. 

Bourhan Hraichie, seen working for his father's health food store as a teenager

Bourhan Hraichie, seen working for his father's health food store as a teenager

A fourth generation Lebanese-Australian, whose great-grandfather migrated to the country in the 1940s, Bourhan was in and out of trouble with police throughout his early teenage years. 

Mr Hraichie called in the cops on his own son after he stole money from his wallet and robbed family properties.  

'He's very easily influenced,' said Mr Hraichie, a former Army reservist and NSW Police Ethnic Liaison officer. 

Bourhan's troubles peaked when he became addicted to the drug ice, took his mother's car for a joy ride and 'wrote it off'. 

He had only four weeks left on parole when he was charged with breaking into a home - landing back in the prison where he attempted to murder O'Keefe. 

'He wanted to belong to something - and there must be something in jails where obviously you've got to belong to some group or faction to fit in,' Mr Hraichie said. 

'He's the kind of person who would take things to the next step - because he's fearless.'

Hraichie said his son 'wanted to belong to something' and was very easily influenced by others

Hraichie said his son 'wanted to belong to something' and was very easily influenced by others

The savage attack   

Before prison, Bourhan had shown little interest in the Islamic faith, let alone terrorism, his father said. 

'I tried to take him to the mosque with me a few times - as quick as he'd get in he'd be out the back door.'

Bourhan's attack on O'Keefe came after he and a gang of other Muslim prisoners had a conversation with the former reservist about the Islamic State in Syria.    

In a blatant attempt to provoke O'Keefe, one member of the group told the patriot 'they would love to go fight for ISIS'. 

'Jail is heaven for Muslims, they love it and find more soldiers for their causes,' O'Keefe said, in a reference to extremists. 

He remembers dismissing a warning that Bourhan was a 'bit of a f***en' psycho', telling another prisoner he would see how the first night went before swapping cells.

The 'e4e' carving on Michael O'Keefe's head stands for the Islamic State slogan 'an eye for an eye'

O'Keefe shows off the cuts on his chest and neck

The 'e4e' carving on Michael O'Keefe's

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