More dual nationals face losing Australian citizenship, after Neil Prakash's case - SBS News

The Australian government said it is examining the cases of dual nationals who could lose their Australian citizenship over their activities as foreign fighters.

"I will do whatever I can neturalise that threat," Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said.

He said the government is working with Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States to get intelligence on other foreign fighters.

"There are a number of other cases that we are looking at at the moment. And there are other cases under review. It depends on the amount of evidence or intelligence that might be gathered in relation to a particular individual.

"And there is new evidence that might arise as a result of somebody being under a current investigation or intelligence that has been discovered out of the country, elsewhere in the world."

The comments come as the government removed Australian citizenship from Islamic State jihadist and recruiter Neil Prakash.

The Melbourne-born man, who is currently in jail in Turkey over charges related to being a member of Islamic State, has become the 12th dual national to have their citizenship annulled over associations with offshore terror groups.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton said the government's priority is the safety and security of Australians.

"Dual citizens who choose to be involved in terrorism forfeit the privileges of Australian citizenship, and I remain committed to enforcing the legal provisions that remove them," Mr Dutton said.

Australia is seeking extradition of the 27-year-old in relation to several serious terrorism charges but the Kilis Criminal Court in southern Turkey earlier this year rejected Australia's extradition request.

Prakash has been in custody near the border with Syria since 2016 after he attempted to enter Turkey with false documents.

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His Australian passport was cancelled in 2014 and he was added to a sanctions list in 2015.

Prakash has previously admitted being a member of Islamic State but said he had nothing to do with the group in Australia.

He faces a potential life sentence if convicted in Australia of terrorism offences.

The former rapper from Melbourne had featured in IS videos and has been linked to a failed Melbourne plot to behead a police officer and another attack in which two officers were stabbed outside a Melbourne police station.

The government announced in November that it planned to change legislation to make it easier to strip dual Australian citizens of their citizenship, if they are convicted of terrorism.

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