An Important News Australia

Australia wait over Neil Prakash extradition request

The Turkish government is yet to respond to Australia about the federal government’s wish to extradite Islamic State recruiter Neil Prakash.

“He’s obviously subject at the moment to the Turkish justice system, and Turkish legal processes,” Justice Minister Michael Keenan told ABC radio.

Melbourne-born Prakash is being detained in Turkey after being arrested trying to leave Syria using false identity papers.

“They’re very aware of our keen interest,” Mr Keenan said of the Turkish government.

Australia may have to wait in line as intelligence agencies in the European Union, United States and Israel make the case to question Prakash.

“The most important thing, of course, is that people involved in allegations of this nature face justice.”

Prakash has been an effective propagandist and recruiter for ISIS, having been a regular at the Al-Furqan centre in Melbourne’s south before he left for Syria in 2013.

He was said to have been in touch with Numan Haider, the radicalised Melbourne teenager who was shot and killed after attacking two officers outside a police station in the suburb Endeavour Hills in 2014.

Prakash has also been linked to other foiled attacks in Australia, including one planned for Anzac Day celebrations in Melbourne.

Mr Keenan wouldn’t go into the details of the extradition request or the allegations Prakesh would face from Australian authorities.

“But it is the case that Turkey and Australia have similar laws, and if you go and fight alongside the Islamic State, if you support these people in the Middle East, then you are committing breaches of law in many countries.” Mr Keenan acknowledged US authorities in May had informed Canberra Prakesh had been killed in an air strike.