Australian PM flags tougher measures to be announced on Aussie IS fighters

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Sunday that the government is expected to announce tougher measures on Australian citizens who joined the Islamic State (IS) terrorist group.

Those measures may include stripping Australian citizenship of those who are found to have been promoting, supporting or taking part in terrorism and prosecute those returned fighters.

Earlier this year, the government said it would amend the Citizenship Act so that dual nationals could be stripped of their Australian citizenship if they have been involved in terrorist acts.

The Australian Broadcast Company (ABC) reported that the government is considering to expand that plan to reach those with sole Australian citizenship.

"People who are fighting with terrorist groups overseas or who are engaged in terrorist activities here in Australia are effectively taking up arms against us and it's very hard to imagine that we should allow to remain in the bosom of our country people who are trying to destroy us," Abbott said in a pre- recorded statement.

He noted that since the terror alert level was raised from Medium to High last September, Australia has witnessed terrorist inspired events in Sydney and in Melbourne, referring to the Lindt cafe siege in Sydney last December and the recent arrests of youngsters in Melbourne who were charged of staging terrorist attacks on policemen on ANZAC Day.

Apart from those, Australian police and intelligence agencies have also foiled six terrorist attacks.

As a result, the parliament has passed new laws to strengthen police powers, including laws on metadata, and the government has boosted funding for counter-terrorism agencies.

"But despite these efforts, Australia faces a growing challenge from foreign fighters and from home-grown terrorists," Abbott said in the statement. "At least 250 Australians, some very young, have become ensnared in the evil ideology of the Daesh death cult."

Australian Security Intelligence Organization (ASIO), the country's main intelligent agency, currently has over 400 priority counter-terrorism investigations.

"To those young Australians contemplating joining this death cult, I say, think again. Throwing in your lot with the most barbaric people in the most dangerous parts of the earth could cost you your life," Abbott said.

Abbott said more announcements will be made in the following week to "keep our country as safe as possible".

"You can be assured that this Government will do everything in our power to protect our people and to stop radicalized and brutalized people from roaming our streets," he said. Endi