150 Australian jihadis pose terror threat if they return home:

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http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/policy/australian-jihadis-pose-terror-threat-if-the...

ABOUT 150 Australians are, or have been, fighting with Arab insurgents in Syria and Iraq and pose a security threat if they return home, says Julie Bishop. 

The Foreign Minister’s warning came amid evidence convicted terrorist Khaled Sharrouf, who fled Australia earlier this year, has joined the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham’s uprising in northern Iraq.

As ISIS militants battle with Iraqi government troops, The Australian today revealed that Sharrouf — who left for Syria using his brother’s passport — was thought to be among the thousands of ISIS fighters swarming threatening Baghdad.

Intelligence agencies told Ms Bishop this morning that the cohort of about 150 Australian fighters “in Syria and beyond” initially supported “more moderate opposition groups” but are increasingly turning to “more extreme” groups such as ISIS.

“These are brutal people (in ISIS). The executions and the killings and their boasting of it on social media makes this a particularly virulent form of terrorism,” Ms Bishop told ABC Radio after the briefing.

“These people are so extreme that al-Qa’ida is even distancing itself from them.

“I had an intelligence briefing from our agencies this morning and our best estimate is that there are about 150 Australians … who have been or are still fighting with opposition groups in Syria and beyond.”

Ms Bishop said she had cancelled numerous Australian passports belonging to suspected extremists and Australian intelligence agencies were working with regional partners to counter the threat posed by the fighters’ return.

“We are concerned that Australians are working with (these militants), becoming radicalised, learning the terrorist trade, and if they come back to Australia of course it poses a security threat and we’re doing what we can to identify them.”

Ms Bishop said it was an offence under Australian law to take part on either side of the Iraqi conflict, or support a listed terrorist organisation such as ISIS, with penalties of up to 25 years’ jail.

Labor’s foreign affairs spokeswoman Tanya Plibersek described returning Australian fighters as a “very serious risk’’, and says she supports government efforts to stop the threat.

Overseas fighters returned well trained, radicalised, and with a “sick sort of street cred’’, she said.

“That allows them to convince other impressionable young people that perhaps going to fight is a good idea, or perhaps committing crimes here in Australia might be a good idea,’’ she said.

Ms Bishop, who has announced $5 million aid for refugees fleeing ISIS’s advance, conceded the Western and Iranian-backed government of Shia prime minister Nouri al-Maliki was “not a good” administration.

“It is the only government in place in Iraq at present. It’s not a good one and the problems between the Sunnis and the Shias are exacerbated by his manner of excluding them from the government.

“He’s now calling for national unity — that’s a start — we need to see a political solution because a military solution could be catastrophic.”

In the wake of authorities failing to stop Sharrouf from leaving Australia, the Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, Bret Walker SC, said there should be reporting requirements for those convicted of terror offences, and an associated national database established.

As The Australian reported in May, Sharrouf travelled to Syria with fellow Australian Mohamed Elomar, who is also believed to be fighting with ISIS. Elomar is the nephew of Mohamed Elomar, one of the ringleader’s of the 2005 Pendennis conspiracy. Sharrouf and Elomar Sr were convicted in the 

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And how will they stop those people from returning to Australia if they are naturalised Australians or even born here?

Any one of them can claim that they had nothing to do with the terrorists.

Visiting another country, no matter how dangerous it is, is no crime.

Erica

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Australia goes into terror lockdown: Spy agencies and customs will lock down borders to ­potential jihadists

AN unprecedented security intelligence-sharing arrangement between spy agencies and customs will lock down Australia’s borders to ­potential jihadists either trying to return to Australia or leave our shores to join Syrian and Iraqi terror groups.

FEARS THAT TERRORISTS WILL BRING THEIR BELIEFS HOME

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN IRAQ

The Daily Telegraph understands customs officials will be given higher-level intelligence briefs in the wake of the failure that enabled convicted Sydney terrorist Khaled Sharrouf to slip out of the country last year using his brother’s passport.

An urgent review initiated by Immigration Minister Scott Morrison and Attorney-General George Brandis ­following the border blunder, known as the Cousins’ review, is believed to have found holes in the security net from the airport barrier all the way up to ASIO.

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/australia-goes-into-terror-lockdown-spy-agencies-and-custo...

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Dual-national jihadists may lose Aussie citizenship 

A PROPOSAL to strip dual nationals who fight in foreign conflicts of their Australian citizenship, a move that would mirror powers available in Britain, is an option the federal government would consider.

Tony Abbott yesterday vowed to “redouble’’ the government’s vigilance in the wake of the Islamist crisis in Iraq, monitoring fighters who have returned from the combat zone and preventing foreign jihadists from crossing the border.

As part of the ramped-up security push, Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said he was prepared to consider the British model that allows authorities to strip dual nationals of their passports, provided it does not render them stateless.

The power has been used to considerable effect during the Syria crisis, which has seen scores of Britons flock to jihad.

Mr Morrison said while the government was prepared to contemplate the idea, he labelled it an extreme measure.

“Cancelling the citizenship of a dual citizen is a very extreme measure,’’ he said. “There are existing provisions within the citizenship act that deal with these sorts of things … and at this stage there are no formal ­proposals before the ­parliament.’’

The comments follow a recommendation by the federal government’s Independent National Security Legislation Monitor, Bret Walker SC, who recommended the government consider the measure

The INSLM is concerned that the concept of dual citizenship raises issues of divided loyalties and does not see why, as a matter of policy, an Australian citizen should also be able to be a citizen of another country,” Mr Walker said in his report, tabled in parliament this week.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop yesterday confirmed that about 150 Australians had joined the fighting in Iraq and Syria, among them Khaled Sharrouf, a convicted terrorist who slipped out of Australia ­illegally last year and is fighting with the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham.

The Prime Minister said it would be a mistake for Aus­tralians to assume the crisis in the Middle East was confined to Iraq with “no consequences for the wider world’’.

“You have a terrorist army consolidating its hold over a large swath of Iraq and Syria with the intention presumably of creating a terrorist state with dangerous and unpredictable consequences for the region and for the wider world,’’ Mr Abbott said.

“So, this is a very serious situation.’’

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/dualnational-jihadists-may-lose-aussie-citizenship/story-e6frg6...