Junaid Thorne, 27, was held in Goulburn’s High Risk Management Centre.

But in the case of radical Muslim preacher Junaid Thorn, and many others detained in Goulburn Supermax prison, being detained in these isolated cells designed for deprivation has backfired massively.

The maximum security correction facility — widely accepted as Australia’s toughest jail — has become a hotbed of radicalisation activity, with inmates being converted to supporting radical groups within its walls, and established hate preachers becoming more influential in radical circles for their time behind bars, the ABC has reported.

In an interview with the 7.30 program aired on Monday night, Thorne — who spent four months in Goulburn on terror charges last year — explained how counter terror authorities intentions had failed in his case.

The 27-year-old Perth preacher was imprisoned for trying to evade ASIO by taking a domestic flight under a false name.

“They placed me there so that I don’t have influence on other people,” he said.

“But when you come out people know that you’ve been in Supermax, that you’ve been through such an experience that you are pretty much targeted for who you are. That causes you to have even greater influence, so that pretty much backfired.”

Radicalisation expert Clarke Jones told the program Thorne had “become more influential because of his time behind bars”, and questioned whether imprisoning people like Thorne in the facility was effective.

It’s designed to isolate and deprive of authority, but the High Risk Management Correction Centre at Goulburn Jail is reportedly failing.Source:News Limited

“It certainly had the potential for Junaid to pass on some views that may not be helpful for young offenders, but there wasn't an opportunity for Junaid to change in that environment, so if he’s mixing up with some of the worst of the worst, they get an opportunity to continue talking with each other,” Dr Jones said.

According to the report, inmates at Goulburn Supermax are “united in the IS (Islamic State) cause”.

Of the 41 inmates, 24 are being held on terror-related charges, and others are being converted to the international terror outfit’s cause during their time at Goulburn.

Corrective Services Commissioner Peter Severin told 7.30 radicalisation behind bars was a new challenge for the system and its staff.

Although prisoners are under constant physical surveillance, mostly prohibited from communicating with each other, other than supervised one-on-one conversations, Thorne said there were easy workarounds.

Junaid Thorne says his time in prison made him more influential.Source:ABC

“Anyone in jail can tell you that there’s ways around any restriction,” Thorne said.

“The classical way would be just like shouting under the door, through the cages in the backyard. It’s very well organised in there, by the brothers, by the inmates themselves.”

The revelations of in-prison radicalisation had raised concerns over how the government should deal with terror offenders.

According to Thorne, the current approach is leaving authorities wide open to backlash.

“Sadly, this approach that the government is taking or how they’re dealing with this problem is only further driving the radicalisation of this youth,” he said.

“There’s going to be some sort of backlash whether it’s from them themselves or from their families that are finding it hard to get in contact with them.”