Australia on Tuesday announced it will amend the law to strip dual nationals linked to terrorism of their citizenship for “betraying the country”, but insisted no one would be left stateless.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott said the new powers would apply to dual nationals who fight with or support jihadists such as Islamic State group or so-called lone wolves who pose a threat on home soil.
But the government backed away from removing citizenship from second-generation Australians. Under that scenario, such nationals linked to terror groups would have been forced to take on the citizenship of their parents’ birth countries.
“The changes will be consistent with our international legal obligation not to leave a person stateless. There will also be safeguards, including judicial review, to balance these powers,” said Abbott.
“These new powers are a necessary and appropriate response to the terrorist threat. They modernise our laws and bring them closer to those of Britain, Canada, France, the United States and other
countries.”