Three women known as “ISIS brides” have been arrested and charged by police after arriving in Australia on Thursday night.
One of the women, named in media reports as 32-year-old Janai Safar, arrived in Sydney and was charged with allegedly entering and remaining in a declared conflict zone and joining ISIS.
It will be alleged the 32-year-old travelled to Syria in 2015 to join her husband, who had previously left Australia to join ISIS. Both offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment.
Two other women who arrived in Melbourne, identified by media as Kawsar Abbas, 53, and Zeinab Ahmad, 31, were arrested and charged by police with crimes against humanity offences allegedly committed in Syria.
It will be alleged Abbas travelled to Syria in 204 with her husband and children and was complicit in the purchase of a female slave for US$10,000, and knowingly kept the woman in the home. She was charged with four crimes against humanity offences, each carry a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment.
It will also be alleged 31-year-old Ahmad travelled to Syria in 2014 with her family and knowingly kept a woman in the home as a slave. She is charged with two crimes against humanity offences, each carrying a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment.
A fourth woman who arrived in Australia was not detained.
The women returned to Australia with nine children. They had lived in Al Roj refugee camp in Syria for six years until their return. All women and their children are Australian citizens.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Stephen Nutt said operational planning for the potential return of individuals from the Middle East started in 2015.
“Australian JCTTs methodically investigated all Australians who travelled to declared conflict areas and will ensure those who are alleged to have committed a criminal offence are put before the courts,” Assistant Commissioner Nutt said.
“JCTTs include some of the most experienced national security investigators and analysts in our country. This remains an active investigation into very serious allegations.”
The NSW JCTT comprises the AFP, NSW Police Force, ASIO and the NSW Crime Commission. The Victoria JCTT comprises the AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO.
The women and children arrived back into a media storm at Sydney and Melbourne airports.
Mat Tinkler, CEO of Save the Children Australia, said two-thirds of the cohort returning to Australia from Syria are children.
“There’s been a lot of focus on the women and the choices they may have made but we need to focus on these children and give them a chance of resuming a normal life in Australia,” he said.
He told the ABC that the children have grown up in camps with limited access to healthcare and education, in conditions that would shock most Australians.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett previously said the children will be asked to undergo community integration programs, therapeutic support, and countering violent extremist programs.
Feature image provided by AFP.