Laws to ban dual citizens

Retrospective rule for convicted terrorists

CANBERRA: Dual citizens convicted and sentenced to at least 10 years jail for terrorism offences within the last decade will have their Australian citizenship stripped retrospectively.

The new laws, set to be legislated within a fortnight, pave the way for some of those involved in the Pendennis terror plot and Operation Neath to be stripped of citizenship.

It is understood the decadelong retrospective period would encapsulate all terrorist convictions in Australia and could see up to nine dual citizens, currently in jail, stripped of the privilege of being Australian.

Landmark legislation strip- ping terrorists of their Australian citizenship will be passed by Parliament after a joint parliamentary intelligence committee recommended the Bill be legislated with 27 recommendations.

The recommendations also include only applying the legislation to terrorists sentenced to six years’ jail in Australia or who are actively fighting alongside terrorist groups overseas.

Children under 14 will be exempt from being stripped of their dual citizenship.

Prime Minister Tony Abbott said he wholeheartedly supported making the laws retrospective.

“If you’re a dual citizen and you’re guilty of terrorism against your fellow Australians, frankly, you have put yourself beyond the pale,’’ he said.

The controversial measure is set to create some angst on both sides of Parliament.

Foreign Minister Julie Bishop yesterday conceded she did not support as a principle retrospective laws, but conceded there may be cases for it to be used.

Opposition immigration spokesman Richard Marles said Labor would give bipartisan support to the new laws providing the recommendations were accepted.