An Islamic State member labeled 'Australia's most dangerous fighter' is set to be returned home to face trial.
Neil Prakash has been sitting in Turkey for several years after being arrested for fighting for ISIS in Syria.
The Melbourne-born man was convicted of membership of a terrorist organisation back in 2016 and was sentenced to seven and a half years behind bars.
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The Sydney Morning Herald reports the fighter was then transferred to an immigration facility and that's where he's been ever since.
In 2018, he had his Australian citizenship cancelled by then-Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton.
Prakash was called a threat to Australia and the previous government hoped that by ripping up his citizenship he wouldn't come back home.
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“If given the opportunity, Mr Prakash would harm or kill Australians, and our country is a safer place for him having lost his Australian citizenship,” Dutton said at the time.
The Australian government also believed Prakash could rely on Fiji for support due to his father having Fijian citizenship, however the dad stated his fighter son has never held a passport for the island nation.
9News reports Australia's High Court overturned rules introduced by the previous Abbott government that gave authorities the power to cancel someone's citizenship if they're suspected of participating in terrorist activities abroad.
The move made in June this year meant Prakash's citizenship was automatically reinstated.
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The government's website states: "This decision will have significant implications for the Government’s ability to revoke the citizenship of dual nationals who are alleged to have engaged in terrorism-related conduct but have not actually been convicted of an offence."
The Australian reached out to the federal immigration department to enquire about Prakash and they did not deny reports he will be brought home to face trial.
It's unclear when it's expected he'll reach our shores or when his trial will kick off.
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The 31-year-old has appeared in several Islamic State videos trying to recruit Australians to travel to the Middle East and fight with the terrorist organization.
The Australian reports that during his trial in Turkey, he admitted to joining Islamic State however regretted being associated with them.
He also rejected notions he was in a leadership position of the group.
Topics: Australia
Stewart Perrie