(NCA NewsWire) Australia’s top security boss says there has been a decline in the number of people who aspire to travel overseas to support terrorist groups since the height of ISIS in Iraq and Syria, but travel bans are a “necessary tool” to deter citizens from joining extremists.
The federal government is looking at extending counter-terrorism laws, due to sunset in September, that make it illegal to travel to certain areas that have been declared as having a significant risk level of terrorist activity.
The powers were introduced in 2014 and have only been used twice — once in 2014 to stop people travelling to parts of Syria, and again in 2018 to prevent people from travelling to Iraq, which led to four Australians being charged.
Currently, no areas have been listed under the laws.
