Australia passed laws on Thursday aimed at preventing young people from becoming radicalised and going to fight in overseas conflicts such as those in Iraq and Syria, where scores of Australians have joined militant groups.
Last month, the United Nations demanded that all states make it a serious criminal offence for their citizens to travel abroad to fight with militant groups, or to recruit and fund others to do so, in a move sparked by the rise of Islamic State.
Security analysts have put the number of foreign fighters in Iraq and Syria, travelling from scores of countries around the world, in the thousands.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott told parliament at least 70 Australians were fighting in Iraq and Syria backed by about 100 Australia-based “facilitators”.
The government had cancelled the passports of about 70 people, Abbott said.
“It’s to protect other countries who shouldn’t have to host Australians intent on mayhem, and it’s to protect us, Madam Speaker, because Australians do have a right to come back to this country, and the last thing we should want is people on our streets who have been radicalised and brutalised by participation in terrorist activities overseas,” Abbott said.
