Security officials fear as many as 250 Aussies could be fighting or supporting Islamic State terrorists

 JAMES DOWLING    

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SECURITY officials say there could be as many as 250 Australians fighting with or ­supporting Islamic State.

The figure dwarfs the government’s most recent official tally of about 70 Australians in the conflict zone and another 100 at home supporting the Muslim extremist terrorists.
United Nations counter-terrorism expert Richard Barrett said Australian Secret Intelligence Service staff revealed the figure during a private meeting with other security and intelligence officials in April.
Mr Barrett told the Herald Sun the Australian Government had revised its figures over time and while the numbers might change it was the risk each fighter posed when they got home which was the greatest concern.

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In August, the then head of ASIO, David Irvine, said more than 20 fighters had returned from Syria and Iraq.

Fears there are at least 250 IS supporters at home.

Responding to the increased terrorism threat, a new counter-terrorism border unit has screened more than 23,000 people at airports since August and 50 high-risk travellers have been hauled off planes on the tarmac. The unit has also questioned 1500 ­“persons of interest”.
The extraordinary number of security assessments is revealed as defence sources also confirmed a new request had been made by the US for additional military forces, on top of the 200 Aussie special forces troops already committed.
This week the Government also passed legislation which would make it a crime for Australians to travel to the Iraq and Syrian conflict zones without a valid reason.

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Mr Barrett, who works for New York based think-tank The Soufan Group, said the bans and cancelling passports alone would not be enough to stem the flow of Australian fighters to the war zone.
“As we have already seen with Australians in Iraq/Syria, the confiscation of passports or the banning of travel is not necessarily enough to deter the most determined,” he said.
Up to 16 Australians are believed to have already been killed in Syria and Iraq.

Mohammad Ali Baryalei was an alleged ringleader of anti-Australian plots.

US authorities yesterday also revealed an IS plot to kidnap and behead an Australian on home soil was partly behind the move to increase security at US government buildings.
james.dowling2@news.com.au
@jameswdowling

Khaled Sharrouf shocked the world when he posted photos of his seven-year-old son holding a severed head.Herald Sun