CANBERRA, Australia, Aug 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) – The Australian government has introduced new laws to keep terrorists in prison, if they are still considered a threat.
The government introduced the counter-terrorism legislation to Parliament on Thursday, saying, it will close a loophole, whereby convicted terrorists can avoid continuing detention orders, which keep offenders behind bars, if they are considered a risk.
According to a media release on Thursday, it said the new laws also introduces a presumption against bail and parole for terrorists and terrorist supporters.
“These strong measures will ensure that public safety is paramount, when applications for bail and parole are being considered, putting the interests of the community ahead of the interests of those who would seek to do us harm,” Attorney General, Christian Porter, said.
“Prison is where those individuals belong and this bill will ensure that is where they will stay.”
The laws were recommended by an inquiry into a 2017 terror attack, in the south-east Melbourne suburb of Brighton, in which Yacqub Khayre, who was on bail and had previously been charged with a terrorism offence, killed one man.
It was one of the seven terrorist attacks in Australia since 2014, with another 16 having been prevented by security agencies.
“The community was rightly outraged by Yacqub Khayre’s case and I believe the changes we are introducing today strike the right balance between protecting individual rights and freedom, and protecting the community,” Porter said.– NNN-AGENCIES
