Independent senator Jacqui Lambie has called for the death penalty to be reintroduced for Australian citizens who fight for terrorist organisations overseas.

Senator Lambie had previously called for citizenship to be revoked, but took it a step further on Friday morning, calling for courts to have the ability to sentence terrorists returning to Australia to death.

The outspoken politician aired the controversial view on a breakfast show hosted by Eddie McGuire.

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“I’m asking for anyone that helps, assists any of the terrorists who are trying to take out our own defence force personnel, that the death penalty be re-introduced but that be determined by a jury,” she said Southern Cross Austereo radio.

Mr McGuire was surprised. Cancelling passports might be acceptable, but the death penalty is “a bit too far”, he said.

Senator Lambie was not deterred.

“You know, these terrorists, they’re psychopaths. There’s no doubt about that. So you need to lead by example,” she said.

The Senator admitted that there is little chance of her idea being supported in Parliament, but said she was committed to tackling the problem of terrorism “while the rest of you are out there tap dancing”.

She clarified that execution should only be an option for terrorism offences, and should be determined by a jury.

Capital punishment has been abolished in Australia, and was last used in 1967.

Her statement comes just a day after Australian David Hicks was cleared of his terrorism conviction by an American military court, after spending more than five years as a prisoner at US Navy base Guantanamo Bay.