The former Australian soldier who was killed fighting alongside extremists in Syria was ''a good sapper'' who showed no radical tendencies while in the Army, Assistant Defence Minister Stuart Robert says.
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Mr Robert told Fairfax Media on Wednesday that Caner Temel, 22, went absent without leave from the Army a full three years before he left Australia in July 2013.
Mr Temel, from Auburn in western Sydney, was subsequently killed in Syria in January fighting alongside one of the most extreme Islamist factions among the rebels, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS).
Previously he had served as a construction engineer at Enogerra Barracks in Brisbane, enlisting in the Army in February 2009 and disappearing in July 2010. He was discharged in September of that year after Defence had spent the requisite 28 days looking for him.
Mr Robert said Defence had made some enquiries about Mr Temel's service after his death in Syria and found no evidence of radicalisation while he was still serving in the military.
''We've had a look at it when it first came up and whether there's anything we should learn from it . . . He was good engineer, a good sapper. There was no indication that he was tending towards this way. He was just a basic soldier who after 17 months went absent without leave.''
In question time on Wednesday, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the government was "extremely concerned" by reports Australians had travelled to the Levant region to support or participate in the fighting in Syria.
''Australia has put in place an arms embargo,'' she said.
''Therefore, it is illegal for any Australian citizen or any dual citizen to engage in fighting for either side in Syria.
''It is illegal for them to fund or train or recruit someone else to fight, or supply weapons to either side.''
Ms Bishop added that Australia had listed the al-Nusra Front and the ISIS as criminal organisations under Australia's criminal code listing regime.
"We are concerned about the radicalisation of Australians as a result of the Syrian conflict, particularly those who travel to Syria and return to Australia with capabilities acquired through fighting or training with extremely groups."
The Foreign Minister said the government would continue to review the cancellation of passports to prevent breaches of the arms embargo.
Mr Robert said he was deeply concerned by the trend towards Australians fighting in Syria but stressed they were civilians and that this was not a military affair.
''Is there a concern that civilians are going to fight in Syria? Absolutely. We are very concerned about that. But there is a zero indication of any radicalisation in the military and in fact I see zero evidence of it.
''Drawing a link between the two doesn't stand up on any measure . . . there is actually no issue for the military at all.''
It remains unclear what Mr Temel was doing in the three years between fleeing the military and leaving Australia.
Mr Robert earlier told ABC radio that Mr Temel would have received basic arms and explosives training.
with Lisa Cox
