Despite their past differences, Jacqui Lambie and Tony Abbott have finally agreed on something – jihadists.
The Tasmanian Senator has backed up the Prime Minister on his strict ‘no return’ policy for jihadists wishing to return to Australia after fighting for rebel terrorist organisation, Islamic State (IS).
“If you go, and you seek to come back, as far as this government is concerned you will be arrested,” said the Prime Minister yesterday, “You will be prosecuted and you will be jailed.”
And for the first time, Jacqui Lambie was in total agreement.
“I certainly don’t want those bastards back on home soil,” said the Senator, “They were warned, ‘if you want to go over there and shoot rounds at our own troops, then we don’t want you back here’.”
“I’m a staunch supporter of him on this, he needs to hold his ground,” she continues, “He stopped the boats from coming in; he needs to do exactly the same [with IS defectors].”
The Prime Minister has since refused to grant foreign fighters and medical workers clemencies to flee IS and return to Australia – including Melbourne man, Adam Brookman.
Brookman recently claimed in The Guardian that he only went to Syria “to use my skills as a nurse and medic to help the Syrian people” and was prevented from leaving thereafter.
The father-of-five said he used his time in Syria working “on ambulances, transporting civilians who were injured due to bombing and fire from jets, which would happen every night,” and now wishes to return to his family in Melbourne.
The man, who has stated publically that he is not in support of IS, has made a formal plea to the Australian government to be allowed to return, but his bid for clemency has been rejected.
“I don’t agree with what they do at all,” he said, “I never went there to fight, I went there as a nurse. I support the struggle of the Syrian people.”
A bid to accept IS defectors back into Australia to assist in ‘deradicalisation’ has been rejected by the Prime Minister.
