Former president of NT Labor, detained at Darwin airport after returning from Islamic State battle z

[Bradyns]

[QUOTE][QUOTE][IMG]http://www.abc.net.au/news/image/6045190-3x2-940x627.jpg[/IMG][/QUOTE]

Former president of NT Labor, Matthew Gardiner, has been detained at Darwin airport after returning from helping Kurdish fighters against Islamic State (IS) militants in the Middle East, the ABC understands.

Mr Gardiner, who left Australia earlier this year, was stopped by Customs officials at Darwin airport early this morning after flying from the Middle East via Sweden and Singapore.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) confirmed they spoke to a Darwin man who returned to Australia on Sunday morning.

An AFP spokesperson said enquiries relating to the man's activities while overseas were ongoing and they would be providing no further comment.

Gardiner, 43, previously served as an Australian Army combat engineer in Somalia in the early 1990s.

Source:
[URL]http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-04-05/matthew-gardiner-returns-from-fighting-islamic-state/6371546[/URL][/QUOTE]

I [URL="http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1448049&highlight="]posted the story[/URL] of this guy going to help the Kurds fight IS a while back.

[EmperorScorpious]

He faces life in prison, wow.

[Antdawg]

[QUOTE=Emperor Scorpious II;47460511]He faces life in prison, wow.[/QUOTE]

It's illegal to be a foreign fighter for any side in Syria.

[Subzero MP3Z]

What the fuck, why would you do this?

[Thomo_UK]

[QUOTE=Subzero MP3Z;47461205]What the fuck, why would you do this?[/QUOTE]

It's a hard question to answer, maybe people want to help directly instead of indirectly.

[hakkoru]

it's a noble thing but you shouldn't go off and fight for unsanctioned or unrecognized foreign entities. no matter how "good" they seem.

[Flyingman356]

[QUOTE=elitehakor;47461348]it's a noble thing but you shouldn't go off and fight for unsanctioned or unrecognized foreign entities. no matter how "good" they seem.[/QUOTE]

Sure, but I think situations like this just highlight the issue with blanket rules that are applied regardless of the circumstances. Common sense should be applied.

[hakkoru]

there is no issue with making it illegal to fight for any and all unrecognized foreign entities? you have no diplomacy or ties or influence with them. who knows what they'll be doing in 5 or 10 years. yeah the kurds are only defending their homeland after getting pushed around and i'm not saying they'll be the next isis or hamas or whatever but there's too many variables to let people who go off and fight for them get off scot free.