--- description: A new law will strip Australian dual nationals of their citizenship if they are suspected or convicted of terrorism title: Australia to Strip Jihadists of Citizenship image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltde093bcdab65f2d0/6988d9b9bc6cfc69913e2a3c/time-logo.jpg?branch=production --- * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Australia](/tag/australia/) ## Australia Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Australia Passes New Law to Strip Jihadists of Citizenship by [Rishi Iyengar](/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 4, 2015 8:34 AM CUT by [Rishi Iyengar](/author/rishi-iyengar/) ## Rishi Iyengar Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Dec 4, 2015 8:34 AM CUT Australia on Thursday sought to strengthen its antiterrorism measures, [passing](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-34980945 "undefined") a bill that will strip Australian dual nationals of their citizenship if they are suspected or convicted of terrorism. The new law was one of several terrorism-related ones passed in the country’s upper house, the BBC reported. Australian has become known for producing [jihadist fighters](http://time.com/3050835/australia-jihadists-gaza-israel-isis-syria-radical-islam/ "undefined") in the Middle East, with at least 90 Australians having joined groups such as the Islamic State of Iraq and Greater Syria (ISIS) — about half of them dual citizens. The new laws only apply to such individuals and will not allow anyone to be left stateless, echoing measures [proposed](http://time.com/4115712/france-paris-attacks-hollande-constitution-amendment/ "undefined") by France’s President Françoise Hollande following last month’s [terrorist attacks](http://time.com/paris-attack/ "undefined") by ISIS in Paris. “Dual nationals who engage in terrorism are betraying their allegiance to this country and do not deserve to be Australian citizens,” said Attorney General George Brandis, according to the BBC. He added that the laws would be enforced only in “very limited circumstances.” \[[_BBC_](http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-34980945 "undefined")\] ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4136195/australia-law-citizenship-terror-convict/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4136195/australia-law-citizenship-terror-convict/"},"headline":"Australia Passes New Law to Strip Jihadists of Citizenship","datePublished":"2015-12-04T08:34:39.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T13:06:50.543Z","description":"The legislation is one of several new terrorism-related measures passed","url":"https://time.com/4136195/australia-law-citizenship-terror-convict/","keywords":["Australia","France","Hollande","ISIS","Law","Terror","paris attacks"],"thumbnailUrl":"","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Rishi Iyengar","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/rishi-iyengar/"}],"articleSection":"World","image":[],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/world/","name":"World"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/australia/","name":"Australia"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4136195/australia-law-citizenship-terror-convict/","name":"Australia Passes New Law to Strip Jihadists of Citizenship"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Why So Many Foreign Fighters Join ISIS","description":"A growing number of foreigners is joining the Islamic militant group - but why?","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/xvTQSd5R/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-09-05T19:18:34.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/xvTQSd5R.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/4136195/australia-law-citizenship-terror-convict/","duration":"PT2M58S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/4136195/australia-law-citizenship-terror-convict/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```