A Brisbane man believed to be fighting against the Islamic State in Syria has been issued stern warnings by Immigration Minister Peter Dutton and a terror expert.
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Mr Dutton warned Ashley Dyball would die on the battlefield or face jail on his return home.
Global Terrorism Research Centre international director Professor Greg Barton urged him to put down his gun or at the very least stop posting regular updates to Facebook, to protect both himself and his fellow fighters.
Mr Dyball has shared news and photos with friends regularly since travelling to Syria in May, including travelling through a formerly IS-controlled area for supplies and posing with other fighters holding guns.
"He's building up a dossier of his activity, which he might be able to explain but he's going to be called to explain it when he does come back," Professor Barton said.
This week he shared photos of himself with other fighters, a handful of passports and horrific images from a supposed IS massacre.
It's believed the Albany Creek man joined Kurdish militia group The Lions of Rojava to fight against IS.
But the Monash University researcher warned Mr Dyball could be doing the cause he was fighting for more harm than good.
He said Mr Dyball's presence as a westerner could increase the risk to his fellow fighters and "undermine their moral credibility" by allowing IS to point to foreign fighters on both sides of the battle.
In early June the militia group posted on Facebook to say IS had issued a $150,000 bounty payable to anyone handing over a foreign fighter, something Professor Barton said seemed credible.
"Islamic State has made a lot of money out of kidnapping for ransom and the going price is between $5 and $10 million, it's considerable," he said.
"If you had white foreigners mixing in with local forces and they're overrun it may well be that they put the local forces at risk, not least because of the opportunity for kidnapping for ransom."
Professor Barton said Mr Dyball would be better off helping out with humanitarian aid in Turkish refugee camps, documenting the plight of refugees or helping with civil responses.
"There's a lot you can do as an Australian in this space but I think probably picking up a rifle and joining the gift is probably the least wise and least effective way to making a difference," he said.
Mr Dutton's warning was far more direct.
"The reality is – as with the more than 30 killed in action – they either die on the battlefield or come back to face jail," he said.
"Heading off to fight in this conflict is against the law.
"We have trained Australian soldiers who are aiding the fight against ISIS and potentially their lives are put at risk if mercenaries – however well intentioned – are running around in the same theatre of conflict."
Professor Barton said Mr Dyball faced two legal risks, a long-standing prohibition on fighting with a foreign militia or army and more recent bans on travelling to declared areas controlled by IS.
He said because he was with the Kurds the young Brisbane man was unlikely to be in a declared area but would be subject to prosecution for fighting with a foreign militia.
