Fewer foreign fighters to return home-ASIO

The head of Australia's domestic intelligence agency believes the number of foreign fighters likely to return home is fewer than estimated six months ago.

The foreign spy agencies would be allowed to monitor Australians with any involvement with terrorist groups, not just formal members. Source: AAP

Australia's domestic intelligence agency has downgraded its estimate of foreign fighters likely to return to Australia.

ASIO had anticipated "quite a large" number of the 100 or so Australians taking part in the Syrian conflict to come back home, Director-General of Security Duncan Lewis said.

"I now believe, and we assess, there will be a much fewer number," he told ABC radio on Wednesday.