By NETANI RIKA
AN Islamic State terrorist with links to Fiji has been acquitted by a Turkish court.
Neil Prakash – with Indo-Fijian and Cambodian heritage – was on trial for extradition to Australia.
He has been described by Australian counter-terrorism officials as a key figure in the planning of attacks on Australia.
In Killis Court, however, Turkish Judge Ismail Deniz rejected the prosecutor’s request for extradition, saying the conditions for the
extradition had not been made available to the court.
Prakash’s lawyer, Mehmet Alper Unver, said outside court that there was no obstacle to his client being released from jail, unless Turkey indicted him on other charges.
Prakash – also known as Abu Khaled Al Cambodi – was a member of Melbourne’s Al Furqan Islamic centre – and left Australia for Syria in
2013.
Born to an Indo-Fijian father and Cambodian mother, he has been described by former Australian Attorney-General, George Brandis, as the
country’s “number one, most prominent and dangerous” terrorist.
Prakash is wanted by Australian Federal Police for “membership of a terrorist organisation”, “advocating terrorism”, “providing support to a
terrorist organisation” and “incursions into foreign countries with the intention of engaging in hostile activities”.
