Authorities estimate that around 230 Australians have gone to Iraq and Syria to fight with IS since 2012.
A fighter for the Islamic State (IS) jihadist group, who played a central role in its propaganda to recruit new members, will be tried for terrorist action, for a series of very serious crimes, after he was extradited by the authorities Turkey in Australiathe federal police announced today Friday.
Neil Christopher Prakas31, was arrested in Turkey in 2016 while passing through the country after fleeing Syria.
He was sentenced in 2019 to serve seven years in prison by a Turkish court, which found him guilty at his trial on charges of belonging to a terrorist organization.
Federal police said Mr Prakas arrived by air in Australia this morning.
Melbourne-born alleged Islamic State terrorist Neil Prakash has been deported to Australia to face terrorism charges. #9Newshttps://t.co/KOPQPBnrHR
— 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) December 2, 2022
An investigation had begun against him “in 2016, when (…) he traveled to Syria in order to fight in the ranks of IS”, says a press release of the federal police, which adds that he will be tried for “a series of very serious terrorist crimes” .
The authorities reckon that about 230 Australians went to Iraq and Syria to fight in the ranks of IS since 2012. Mr. Prakas was among the most notable cases. He appeared in propaganda videos for the organization to recruit new members, in which he called on Australians to “wake up”, go and fight by his side.
Australia’s conservative former prime minister Malcolm Turnbull ranked Mr Prakas among IS’s “most important financiers and organisers” in the Middle East.
Former Australian Attorney General George Brandis said in 2016 that Mr Prakas had been killed in Iraq, hit by a US UAV, but it was later revealed that he had only been injured.
RES-EMP
Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.
With a wealth of experience honed over 4+ years in journalism, I bring a seasoned voice to the world of news. Currently, I work as a freelance writer and editor, always seeking new opportunities to tell compelling stories in the field of world news.
