Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Monday warned Australians fighting with extremist groups in the Middle East they face lengthy jail terms if they return home.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Monday warned Australians fighting with extremist groups in the Middle East they face lengthy jail terms if they return home.
"My unambiguous message to all Australians who fight with terrorist groups is that you will be arrested, prosecuted and jailed for a very long time," Abbott told parliament in a statement on national security.
"Our laws are being changed to make it easier to keep potential terrorists off our streets," Abbott said.
The PM's statement came after the biggest security crackdown in Australian history last Thursday saw more than 800 police officers raid nearly 30 homes.
A 22-year-old man was charged with planning a terrorist act.
Australia announced tougher counter-terrorism laws to target home-grown terrorists and those who fight overseas over fears violent extremist citizens in Syria and Iraq will return home.
The government says current legislation is inadequate to fight the threats from groups such as the ISIL and is pushing two bills through parliament this week.
Security agencies have foiled a plot by ISIL terrorists to carry out gruesome "demonstration executions" in Australia.
Abbott underlined that 60 Australians were known to be fighting in Iraq and Syria, 20 had already returned to Australia while another 100 actively support the terrorists.
Australian Attorney-General George Brandis drawn up a bill to give security agencies greater powers and another bill to deal with the threat from so-called "foreign fighters" returning from combat with extremists abroad.
The bills will also allow for bans on visits to cities or regions where terror groups are declared to be active. People travelling to such "no-go areas" without a valid reason could face prosecution.
The government earmarked an additional Aus$630 million (US$563 million) to bolster security and stepped up protection at public places across the country, including parliament.
