National snapshot Aussie jihadis caught fleeing

THREE Australian Islamic State jihadists have been captured at gunpoint in Lebanon.

Their capture comes as Justice Minister Michael Keenan warned others were also looking to flee through Turkey and Jordan, the latter also having agreed to host a significantly sized Aussie spy bureau to combat the threat.

The Lebanese Army and Hezbollah’s militant wing this week conducted a series of “precision” raids along the Lebanese- Syrian border, reportedly rounding up more than a dozen ISIS fighters, including three Russian nationals, and killing about 30 others including a top ISIS “emir”.

The increased military offensive along the hostile Bekaa Valley followed the delivery of US military armaments, surveillance equipment and logistic support, with a push to step up the terrorist fight on this new ISIS battle line.

News Corp Australia has learned the three AustralianLebanese dual nationals were arrested in a Lebanese Army raid after a Syrian- born ISIS jihadist had been captured last year.

The jihadist, after lengthy interrogation, admitted he was working with the three Australians who were all living in the same house east of Beirut. They were arrested at gunpoint sometime after.

Sources yesterday confirmed the trio were now in the notorious Roumieh prison and all three have specifically said they do not want to return to Australia.

The sources said there was clear intelligence that other foreign ISIS jihadists, including some from Australia, were looking to flee the conflict zone and return home.

Mr Keenan yesterday led a high- profile counter terrorism delegation from Australia for formal talks with Lebanese and Jordanian counterparts.

“We rely on having information to stop things from happening in Australia, that’s why we have been able to stop the 12 terror attacks on our soil for the past two years because we work with our partners such as the Lebanese,” Mr Keenan said.

He confirmed there were still 100 Aussie jihadists working with ISIS.

Many of these were dual nationals but only one had been stripped of his citizenship, while 200 others related to the Syria- Iraq conflict have had their passports cancelled.