South Australian war veterans want to fight Islamic State forces in the Middle East and are calling on the federal government to legalise their mission, a veteran and lawyer says.
War veteran and lawyer Ralph Bleechmore is representing ex-soldiers who have served in wars from Vietnam to Afghanistan, who want to return to combat with the Kurdish military against IS.
But Mr Bleechmore says under current laws they could face prosecution by the federal government.
"Why are Australian volunteers liable to prosecution and criminality for dong the same thing as our service people get a campaign medal for?" he said.
Mr Bleechmore said a "quick and easy" remedy would be for Prime Minister Tony Abbott to give an immediate undertaking not to prosecute volunteers.
That could be followed by making appropriate changes to the legislation.
Mr Bleechmore said he would travel to the Middle East to meet with Kurdish military personnel and volunteers from other countries in October.
"I'm going to meet the veterans, look at units on the ground ... and advise people when I get back," he said.
The government has warned Australians they could be committing a crime if they join either side of the conflict in the Middle East.
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