New counterterrorism units have been working at Australia's two largest airports since last week and have already intercepted a person of interest, the prime minister said Wednesday.

The government this month proposed tough new counterterrorism laws as well as 630 million Australian dollars ($590 million) in additional resources over four years to help intelligence and law enforcement agencies cope with the scores of Australians who return home after committing terrorist acts overseas.

David Irvine, director general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, Australia's top spy agency, told the National Press Club on Wednesday that 60 Australians were fighting in Iraq and Syria for the al-Qaida offshoots Islamic State and Jabhat al-Nursa, also known as the Nusra Front. He said another 15 Australian fighters had been killed, including two young suicide bombers.

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