Fast-tracked plans promise passport seizures to keep Jihadis from returning to the UK

David Cameron makes the process of confiscating passports of individuals who joined terror groups faster to prevent them from re-entering the UK.

17:40 14 November 2014

Under new measures to combat terrorism, Britons who are suspected of joining the Islamic State could have their passport confiscated see themselves barred from returning to the UK for at least two years.

Prime Minister David Cameron promised to fast-track the process ‘to keep Britain safe’. Speaking to the Australian Parliament in Canberra, he said: "We have to deal with the threat of foreign fighters planning attacks against our people."

"We must confront this extremism in all its forms. We must ban extremist preachers from our countries. We must root out extremism from our schools, universities and prisons."

The new law gives police and border officers the authority to confiscate a passport if they have ‘reasonable suspicion’ that an individual is traveling abroad to engage in terrorism-related activity. The individual could be placed on a ‘no fly’ list for the duration of the order.

Cameron added to the Australian parliment: "Your Prime Minister has given a strong international lead on this, helping to galvanise the UN Security Council with a powerful address.

"Last month this Parliament passed new legislation to tackle foreign fighters. And we will shortly be introducing our own new Counter-Terrorism Bill in the UK."