Australian who joined Kurdish forces in Syria sent home

He touched down in Melbourne and was questioned by Federal Police officers for several hours before being allowed to travel on to Brisbane, where he is from.

The lawyer acting for Ashley Dyball, a young Australian man who joined rebel Turkish forces fighting against Islamic State, claims he was only involved in de-mining efforts in Syria.

Police said any Australian identified as a threat to security would be fully investigated, without specifying whether charges would be laid.

“Australians have been consistently warned that by becoming involved in overseas conflict they are putting their own lives in mortal danger”, an Australian Federal Police spokesperson told Mashable Australia via email.

Under the laws, it is a crime to fight for militants on either side of the conflict.

Speaking to the “60 Minutes” television programme in Syria earlier this year, Dyball said he was carrying out humanitarian work in Syria and clearing land mines.

The 23-year-old has been in Syria since May fighting with the Kurdish YPG militia group against Islamic State.

Dyball’s father, Scott Dyball, appealed to Malcolm Turnbull earlier not to proceed with prosecution under the foreign fighters legislation, the ABC reported.

“It has to be changed, how can you have evil and good and say it is the same thing”, he said.

Ashley Dyball and Reece Harding, before he was killed.

“He didn’t even know about the laws when he left”, she said.

“To be with him on the plane, with the four of us sitting there… no guards, nothing, it was just, yesterday we wouldn’t have believed it, ” she said as tears dripped down her face.

“We’re very proud of Ashley and the work he’s done over there because it’s very unsafe work that he does and dismantling landmines”, she said.

He then said there needs to be a distinction by the government between a foreign fighter and an ISIS fighter, and the law needs to be changed to reflect this.