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by Matt Walsh
CANBERRA, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Turkish government has yet to respond to Australia's request for Melbourne-born Islamic State (IS) recruiter Neil Prakash to be extradited, Australia's Justice Minister said on Monday.
Prakash, one of the caliphate's most prolific propaganda machines and recruiters, was arrested in Turkey earlier this month after spending months on the run, and is expected to undergo questioning by authorities not only from Turkey, but from other nations affected by his extremist recruiting.
Australian Justice Minister Michael Keenan said while they understand the nature and magnitude of the arrest, the Australian government had approached Turkey to secure Prakash's extradition to face disciplinary action in Australia.
"They're very aware of our keen interest," Keenan told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) on Monday. "He's obviously subject at the moment to the Turkish justice system and Turkish legal processes."
Keenan said while Australia had a vested interest in bringing the Melbourne-born man to justice, the federal government understood that Prakash's extremist influence extended well beyond Australia.
"The most important thing, of course, is that people involved in allegations of this nature face justice," Keenan said.
"But it is the case that Turkey and Australia have similar laws, and if you go and fight alongside the Islamic State, if you support these people in the Middle East, then you are committing breaches of law in many countries."
Counter-terror experts agree it could be some time before Prakash is handed over to Australian authorities, if at all.
"He would have insight into networks in other countries as well of Australia," Dr. Leah Farrall, a counter-terror expert at the United States Studies Center (USSC), said.
However, despite the prospect of having one of world's most wanted terrorists behind bars, some experts have raised concerns that Prakash could attempt to radicalize other inmates if jailed in Australia.
While he would be considered safe from the public, Dr. Clarke Jones from the Australian National University (ANU) said, as one of Islamic State's best recruiters, there was a risk he could attempt to impose extremist values on his fellow inmates.
"I have no doubt he will have a significant influence here in Australia in the prison system," Jones, a prison radicalization expert, told the ABC on Monday.
"Prison systems are notoriously porous, regardless if it's (a high security prison) or not.
"How will they stop him passing messages to others? It could be more of a risk bringing him back to our prisons. Trying to manage someone like (him) could be extremely problematic."
Prakash left Melbourne for Syria in 2013, and has been linked to a number of high-profile attempted terror attacks in Australia.
He reportedly recruited Melbourne teen Numan Haider, who was shot and killed by police after he attempted to kill two officers outside of a Melbourne police station in 2014, while Prakash was also linked to the foiled Anzac Day terror plot in 2015, in which Sevdet Besim planned to behead a police officer while a parade was underway.
There had been reports earlier in the year that Prakash had been killed in a U.S-led drone strike, but those reports were never confirmed.
