The Australian prime minister's hard-line plan to throw foreign fighters and ISIS supporters into maximum security prison is finally coming to fruition.

The country's parliament passed the controversial Counter-Terrorism Legislation Amendment (Foreign Fighters) Bill on Thursday, which will make it easier for police and security agencies to apprehend alleged terrorist suspects (and supporters) and detain them without explanation, potentially leading to lengthy prison sentences.

The new legislation is designed to inhibit would-be fighters from traveling overseas to join conflicts. It will also subject foreign fighters and individuals who have been in conflict areas to a range of controls upon their return to Australia. The laws will also incarcerate individuals who "advocate terrorism."

In reality, the laws lower the threshold for arresting people on alleged terrorism offenses and will potentially lead to innocent individuals being arrested and detained.

Australia's approach is contradictory to other national governments' anti-terrorism tactics and may actually be counterproductive. Its new legislation could increase the risk of terrorism by further alienating marginalized youth who have toyed with the idea of associating with terrorists or committing violent acts in the name of ISIS.

The Danish government, for example, is developing diversionary programs that see some foreign fighters handled on a case-by-case basis and potentially offered rehabilitation without prison time. In the UK, terror suspects could be placed under a Terrorism Prevention and Investigation Measures (Tpims), which will force some to engage in de-radicalization programs. Tpims are court orders that place restrictions on the movements and activities of suspects where there is insufficient evidence to bring charges.

Both of these programs differentiate between the types of terrorist offenders. For example, those that have committed terrorist violence; those that are preparing for an act; those that support the idea of an Islamic state but not violence; and those that claim membership for other motives.

In Australia, one might only have to brag about supporting or belonging to a terrorist group to potentially end up in prison for up to five years.

Playing the Australian coalition government's usual national security trump card, the laws were rushed through parliament, with inadequate time to be properly developed and scrutinized. Muslim groups, lawyers, human rights groups and academics have all urged the government to delay passing the legislation due to human rights issues, to no avail.

(CNN)