Few to be targeted by terror law: Lib MP

Controversial new laws to strip dual-national terror suspects of their Australian citizenship might only be used against as few as a dozen people, a Liberal MP says.

Dan Tehan, chairman of the joint parliamentary committee on intelligence and security, said the government wanted to act against those taking up arms and seeking to do Australia harm.

"It might only be that we can act against 12, it might only be we can act against 20 people but the fact that we can act against them is extremely important," he told Sky News.

Mr Tehan said it was highly likely the legislation, to be introduced to parliament in this sitting fortnight, would be referred to his committee.

"We will look at all these issues in a very robust way and make sure that what we have before us is ... consistent with Australian law and consistent with Australia's international obligations," he said.