Australians flocking to Syrian front line, warn experts

By Sophie Cousins

Some experts say there are more Australians journeying to Syria to participate in the ongoing conflict than any other Western nation. So why are they going and what will they do with the experience?

Throughout the duration of the three-year Syrian civil war, one of the major concerns among Western powers has been the influx of foreign fighters.

According to a recent estimate by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, there could be up to 11,000 of these fighters.

The majority are veterans from the Arab Springs of Egypt, Tunisia and Libya. Then there are the Islamist volunteers from Somalia, Iraq, Jordan and Yemen.

And then there are those from the land Down Under.

It is a difficult image to grasp that one day you could be swimming at one of Sydney’s pristine beaches and the next, you’re crossing into the world’s most dangerous and deadly war zone with a Kalashnikov in hand.

While other Western nations such as Britain and France also have what is considered a worrying presence in Syria, there are reportedly more Australians offering to participate in the conflict, either as mercenaries or volunteers, than any other Western nation, some experts believe.

Their involvement is causing the government to worry that returning fighters could be hard-lined radicalised Islamists, with the potential to launch an attack on home soil.

Dr David Malet, associate director of the Melbourne School of Government, who recently published a book about recruits to overseas insurgencies, said there were estimations that about 200 Australians had gone to Syria. About 100 are still active there, he added.

‘No one knows just how many Australians have gone to Syria [but] only about half a dozen have been reported to be killed, so if these numbers are accurate, many have already returned, or they have gone on to be foreign fighters in Iraq or elsewhere,’ he said.

Not all experts agree however on the extent of Australia’s involvement in Syria.

Andrew Zammit, from Monash University’s Global Terrorism Research Centre, said Australia had between the fifth and tenth highest number of fighters compared to other Western countries.

Zaky Mallah, who was the first Australian to be charged and acquitted under Australia’s anti-terrorism laws, has deep ties to Syria.

He said the majority of Australians in Syria were dual Lebanese-Australian citizens, with 70 per cent known by authorities, media reports suggested.

‘The Lebanese youth here feel disadvantaged, isolated, and they feel discriminated against,’ he said.

‘Many [are] unemployed and have turned to religion as a result. Many Lebanese youth have turned to Salafi ideology because it is helpful to counter the struggles of life here in Australia. Many Australian Lebanese youth will find themselves ideologically ‘connected’ with ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra.’…

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http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/02/03/australians-flocking-syrian-front-line-warn-experts