A Turkish court is set to deliver its verdict on Friday (Saturday morning AEDT) in the trial against Melbourne-born IS member Neil Christopher Prakash. The Australian government has closely followed the case, asserting that Prakash was a top recruiter for the extremist group.
Prakash is on trial for “membership in a terror organization” in southeastern Kilis province bordering Syria and is facing up to 15 years in prison. He has previously admitted in court that he was a member of IS and said he regretted joining the group - but he rejected accusations that he was a senior figure.
Across the border and to the east, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces are battling IS fighters in Baghouz, the last remaining pocket of the group Syria. Foreigners, including women and children, are among the thousands of IS members who have left the enclave in recent weeks.
Neil Prakash has appeared in IS propaganda videos. Source: AAP
It’s a far cry from the so-called caliphate that stretched from Iraq to Syria, recruiting jihadis from across the world, but the group's lure remains strong in war-torn countries.
Who is Neil Prakash?
Prakash, also known by the nom de guerre Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, has appeared in IS propaganda videos. In a 12-minute video released in 2015, Prakash detailed his conversion from Buddhism to Islam and called on Australian Muslims to take arms.
He also praised “brother Numan” in reference to 18-year-old Numan Haider who was shot dead in Melbourne after attacking two police officers with a knife in 2014.
The 27-year-old former rapper has also been linked to several attack plans in Australia and has urged lone wolf attacks in the US.
What is expected to happen in court?
Prakash has been held in a maximum-security prison in the city of Gaziantep near the Turkey-Syria border since 2016. He is expected to appear in court via video link, as he has in previous hearings.
Resat Davran, Prakash’s bar-appointed lawyer, told SBS News he would demand Prakash’s acquittal and release in the final hearing. “The court will decide whether to release him,” he said.
Mr Davran said his client could benefit from a Turkish law on “effective repentance” which requires Prakash express genuine remorse and provide information on IS in exchange for a reduction in sentencing.
Dogu Eroglu, a Turkish investigative journalist who has written extensively on the extremist group, said there are dozens of IS trials across the country but the charges are often limited to terror group membership.
Neil Prakash was born in Melbourne. Source: AAP
He said Turkey has not implemented the use of universal jurisdiction to indict homegrown and foreign IS fighters for crimes committed abroad “even if Turkey knows what they have done in Syria and Iraq, even if they admit to it themselves.”
Eroglu argued the need for an international tribunal to try IS crimes, saying “the situation is so dire that it cannot be left to one or a few countries.”
Wasn’t he reported to be dead?
Prakash was thought to have been killed in a US airstrike on Mosul in 2016 but was caught with fake documents on 24 October the same year after attempting to illegally cross into Turkey from Syria.
In July, former Foreign Affairs Minister Julia Bishop expressed disappointment after the Kilis court denied Australia’s extradition request. Prakash faces a potential life sentence if convicted of terrorism offences in Australia.
According to media reports, Prakash told the court in September that he arrived in Istanbul in 2013, crossed to Syria from bordering Hatay province and joined another militant group before transferring to IS. He claimed he never fought for IS and said he only handled weapons for propaganda videos.
He has previously dismissed the court, saying: “Only God’s laws can judge me.”
Is he still an Australian citizen?
In December, Australia stripped Prakash – born in Australia and of Fijian-Cambodian descent – of his citizenship.
Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton called the suspect “a very dangerous individual” with a central role in IS. The minister said the law prevents the government from rendering a person stateless and can only be applied if the person has dual citizenship.
Peter Dutton called Prakash “a very dangerous individual”. Source: AAP
But Prakash has never held and has not sought citizenship in their country.
Could he return to Australia?
It is unclear where Prakash would go if he is released on Saturday, or even after he serves a sentence.
Eroglu, the investigative journalist, said Prakash remaining in Turkey would pose a risk. Turkish prisons lack deradicalisation programs and can serve as sites for further radicalisation.
He said, “foreigners in Turkey, especially important figures who have recruited in their own countries or who have taken on important jobs within IS, can continue similar activities in Turkish prisons.”
Once a convicted member of a jihadist group serves his sentence and leaves prison, Eroglu said they could join communities in line with their beliefs, including Salafi and al-Qaida networks in Turkey.
Turkey would attempt to deport foreigners to a third country but many countries are likely to not accept them.
“This will cause serious problems for Turkey in the future if other countries don’t accept them,” Eroglu said and asked, “What will Turkey do with these people?”
Zeynep Bilginsoy will report on the verdict from the court in Kilis, Turkey, on Saturday morning AEDT for .
