The suspected mastermind behind Easter Sunday's deadly bombing in Sri Lanka is reported to be a radical preacher with militant links.
The firebrand cleric, who goes by the name Zahran Hashim, is known to have attracted several thousand followers on social media sites, where he posted incendiary sermons.
Does this latest information from ongoing investigations into this barbaric act of terrorism, which has left hundreds dead and wounded, surprise me? Not in the least! For this is not the first or last time a deranged religious fanatic indoctrinates his followers to carry out such an act of cowardliness that leaves such carnage.
The manner with which the act of terrorism played out speaks volumes about the sick mind of the head perpetrator and his followers.
One particular scene in the CCTV footage of one of the suicide bombers entering a church was in particular disturbing for me, to say the least. For minutes prior to blowing himself up inside a packed church, he is seen gently patting the head of a small girl who is descending the church stairs with her family.
Picking Easter Sunday, a significant day for all Christians, as it commemorates the resurrection of Jesus, to detonate close to a dozen bombs in churches and hotels describes a depraved mind.
But not just of Hashim, who is prominently featured in a video released by the Islamic State (IS) group after it claimed responsibility for the bombs, but also of terrorist groups like the IS who said this was done to avenge the killings of 50 Muslims in a shooting spree at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in March.
What came as a particular surprise to me were the above-average backgrounds of the nine suicide bombers who were used to carry out the act.
From what we are told, one completed his postgraduate education in Australia, while most came from well-educated middle- to upper-middle-class families. Some held degrees from international universities and had lives free of financial burdens.
It is unimaginable how a young person from a privileged background could succumb to the doctrine of hate, even though it is taught by "respected" clerics.
This sheds light on just how successful terrorist groups have become, particularly via social media, to brainwash young minds with misguided religious teachings. Indoctrination to me is a form of mind control, which then would explain how calmly suicide bombers conduct senseless killings of the innocent on the pretext of retaliation.
Terrorist groups are a menace, often using mind tactics similar to those of cults to recruit members. It is the innocent and vulnerable whom they prey on, making it all the more pivotal for families to closely monitor their loved ones.
Parents are the first teachers a child looks up to, so if they are taught at an early age about religious tolerance and to speak out against religious extremism, it would be a step in the right direction.
Raising a child grounded in faith is one of the surefire ways to help them discern from right and wrong. Religious fervour, which should be kept in check no matter your faith, and mental illness are not always easy to distinguish. From what one observes in the rising cult of suicide bombers today, their religious fervour breeds hate, control and dominance.
Case studies have found that the more emotionally vulnerable a person is, the more easily it is for them to be indoctrinated by flawed teachings.
Information on individual suicide bombers is occasionally limited, so it was interesting to read about leaked documents that offer insight into the people who join a terror organisation and others who voluntarily sign up for martyrdom.
The documents in question, which were collected at an IS border crossing into Syria at the end of 2013, are believed to be IS registration files, which were allegedly smuggled out of Syria by a former IS fighter.
Some common basic traits could be identified from the documents, even though, they represented one organisation.
The data included over 22,000 IS documents, all of which were application forms filled out by people seeking to join IS. Slightly over 4,000 individual applicants were identified in the files.
A study of these leaked documents found that a typical IS fighter was male, 26 years old, single, reasonably well-educated but did not possess much knowledge about Islam and the Koran.
This was a piece of valuable information, for it squarely puts the responsibility of guiding the congregation on religious leaders. Here I have to insert that this is not just relevant to imams but also priests, pastors, monks and the rest.
It is pivotal for congregations of all faiths to select and scrutinise the teachings of the head of their place of worship. Religious extremism has to be nipped in the bud if we are to be reassured that our children will not go on to commit a crime where innocent lives would be taken because of religious radicalism which, if left unaddressed, can become a trend.
Yvonne Bohwongprasert is a feature writer for the Life section of the Bangkok Post.