Australian officials turn up at terrorist Neil Prakash’s hearing in Turkey

Two months after Australia revealed it had revoked the citizenship of Melbourne-born terrorist Neil Prakash, consular officials appeared at his latest court appearance.

Australian Embassy officials in Turkey have attended the latest terrorism hearing for Melbourne-born Islamic State member Neil Prakash, two months after the Government announced it had revoked his citizenship.

The officials were in the courtroom at the Kilis Criminal Court, on the Syrian border, when Prakash, 27, appeared on terrorism charges overnight.

The case was adjourned until March 15, when the court is expected to make its decision on his guilt or innocence.

Neil Prakash in propaganda ISIS video Picture: Supplied

The appearance of the consular officials comes after Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton announced in December that Prakash, an Islamic State cheerleader and recruiter, had lost his Australian citizenship.

A court-appointed interpreter told Prakash, who appeared via video-link from Gaziantep prison, that “the Australian Government has thrown you out of your nationality.’’

Prakash replied in fluent Turkish that “it’s true, I have been thrown out from my nationality.’’

Judge Ismail Deniz, through the interpreter, told Prakash that the officials were in the court.

“The Australian Embassy came here and are present in the court, so you want to say something to them?,’’ Prakash was asked.

“I don’t have anything to say,’’ he replied.

Peter Dutton says terrorist Neil Prakash’s Australian citizenship has been revoked. Picture: AAP

The Government maintains that Prakash holds or is entitled to hold Fijian citizenship through family ties, as his father is a Fijian citizen.

The Fijian Government rejects this, and Labor has challenged the Government’s legal advice, amid suggestions Prakash could be rendered stateless.

Mr Dutton does not appear to have backed away from his assertion that Prakash has lost his citizenship, with his office telling News Corp on Tuesday that “he (Prakash) is not an Australian citizen.’’

Neil Prakash as a teenager. Picture: Supplied

The revocation of Prakash’s citizenship was expected to have brought to an end the involvement of Australian officials from Ankara, who have provided basic consular assistance to Prakash since his arrest in October 2016 when he was caught sneaking across the border from Syria into Turkey.

Kilis Criminal Court in Kilis, Turkey. Picture: Supplied

Prakash’s lawyer Resat Devran told News Corp that Prakash was aware his citizenship had been revoked and “he didn’t react.

“He took it as normal, as if he was expecting this,’’ he said.

Mr Devran said it didn’t appear Prakash was going to be deported from Turkey.

“Losing his passport (citizenship) does not have any impact on this case,’’ he said.

The Turkish government last year rejected Australia’s bid to have Prakash extradited to face terrorism charges in Australia.

Neil Prakash’s lawyer Resat Devran. Picture: Supplied

The decision is being appealed and Prakash remains in the H-Type Prison in Gaziantep, Turkey.

Mr Devran applied once again for Prakash to be released on parole, but the court rejected the bid.

Prakash is facing domestic charges against the state of Turkey of being a member of a terrorist organisation.

He has admitted joining Islamic State although denies being a senior member.

“Why are you holding me here, I haven’t done anything in Turkey,’’ he told the court last night.

Syrian border area where Neil Prakash was arrested on October 24, 2016. Picture: Supplied

The court was told a cyber investigation into a phone seized from Prakash when he was arrested had not turned up anything of interest.

Outside the court Mr Devran said Prakash was maintaining his innocence of the terror charges.

He said if he was convicted, he would likely be sentenced to a jail term of somewhere between 7.5 and 15 years.

However, he said Prakash had expressed regret, and the court could take that into consideration and lower the penalty, potentially to around five years.

“Again it will be in the hands of the court,’’ he said.