Australia flags tougher parole laws in wake of siege

SYDNEY: The Australian Government signalled a drive to reform parole laws yesterday, including a ban on parole for violent offenders who have any links to extremism, after a deadly siege claimed by the Islamic State group.

Police shot dead gunman Yacqub Khayre, who they said had a long criminal history, on Monday night after he killed a man in an apartment block in Melbourne, and held a woman hostage for several hours.

Attorneygeneral George Brandis said it was clear that Khayre (29), who was granted parole in November after being convicted over a violent home invasion, should never have been released from prison.

‘‘I think the public are entitled to expect that people who present that level of danger to the public, and who have a terrorism background, there should be a presumption against bail or parole except in a very clear case,’’ Brandis said yesterday.

Brandis and Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull both launched stinging criticism of state governments, which are responsible for parole laws, in the wake of the Melbourne attack.

Police are treating the siege as an ‘‘act of terrorism’’ after IS claimed responsibility.

Senior officials said Khayre had been acquitted of a plot to attack a Sydney army base in 2009. He was also accused of travelling to Somalia, where he was born, to seek a religious ruling in support of the planned 2009 attack.

Brandis said Turnbull would push state leaders to alter who is

responsible for parole decisions at a meeting of state and federal governments tomorrow, including having decisions made by state attorneysgeneral rather than parole boards in cases involving extremism.

Australia passed laws last year allowing the indefinite detention of anyone convicted of terrorrelated offences if authorities believed they posed a threat after their release. — AAP