Australia's prime minister talked down the possibility on Tuesday that homesick Australian fighters could return from the battlefields of Iraq and Syria, warning that they could pose a threat at home.

At least three Australians suspected of fighting with terrorists in Syria were secretly negotiating with the Australian government to come home, The Australian newspaper reported.

Robert Stary, a lawyer for one of the three, said the government should regard his client, who uses the name Abu Ibrahim, not only as a potential terrorist but also as a valuable resource to help young Australians avoid becoming militant radicals.