ERBIL, Kurdistan Region — An Australian man who worked as a recruiter for ISIS and reportedly killed fighting for the group in Mosul earlier this year is now believed to be alive.
The New York Times, citing senior US sources, reported Neil Prakash, although wounded, is still alive. The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reported Prakash handed himself over to Turkish authorities several weeks ago.
Prakash, 25, who took the name Abu Khaled al-Cambodi, was dubbed ‘The most dangerous Australian fighting in ISIL’ by George Brandis, the Australian attorney general on April 29.
Prakash is believed to be a recruiter for ISIS and has appeared in the group’s propaganda videos.
The Australian Government is refusing to officially confirm Prakash's arrest.
In a statement, according to ABC news, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Counter-Terrorism, Michael Keenan, said: "As a matter of longstanding practice, the Australian Government does not comment on matters of intelligence or law enforcement operations."
"Prakash has been linked to several Australia-based attack plans and calls for lone-wolf attacks against the United States," Brandis said in May. "He has actively recruited Australian men, women and children, and encouraged acts of terrorism."
Prakash, who lived in Melbourne and is of Cambodian and Fijian descent, left Australia for Syria in 2013.
"He has actively recruited Australian men, women and children, and encouraged acts of terrorism,” Brandis said in May.
About 110 Australians are believed to be fighting for ISIS in Iraq and Syria.
Australia is part of the anti-ISIS international coalition and contributes to the war against the radical group by training Iraqi security forces and conducting air strikes from bases in the UAE.
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via Defense News
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