7 men detained for trying to join militants

Authorities have detained seven young Australian men as they were attempting to fly to the Middle East, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Thursday, over suspicions they wanted to join militant Islamist groups.

"We have stopped at the airport, seven young Australians who were planning to travel to the Middle East it seems to join terrorist groups over there," Abbott told reporters in Canberra.

Five men aged in their 20s and 30s were prevented from flying out of Sydney airport last week to an undisclosed location, Australian Border Protection Minister Peter Dutton told reporters.