Omanghana
Three Australian women with alleged links to the Islamic State were arrested at airports in Sydney and Melbourne immediately after arriving on flights from Doha, following their repatriation from detention camps in northeast Syria.
The women were part of a group of 13 Australians — four women and nine children — who had spent years in the al-Roj detention camp, where families linked to the Islamic State have been held since the collapse of the group’s territorial control in Syria.
Australian authorities confirmed that the women face a range of serious terrorism and slavery-related charges connected to their alleged activities while living in Syria.
Kawsar Abbas and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed were arrested in Melbourne and charged with crimes against humanity. Prosecutors allege the pair traveled to Syria in 2014 and were involved in the purchase and mistreatment of a female Yazidi slave in their household during their time in territory controlled by the Islamic State.
Police said Kawsar Abbas faces four charges, including slave trading offenses, while Zeinab Ahmed faces two slavery-related charges. The alleged offenses carry maximum prison sentences of up to 25 years.
Meanwhile, Janai Safar was arrested in Sydney and charged with terrorism offenses, including allegedly being a member of a terrorist organization and entering or remaining in a declared conflict zone. If convicted, she faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
All three women appeared before courts on Friday, May 8, where they were refused bail. Janai Safar’s legal team argued that continued detention would separate her from her nine-year-old son and worsen existing trauma, but the court denied the application. Kawsar Abbas and Zeinab Ahmed were remanded in custody and are expected to make formal bail applications on Monday, May 11.
The repatriation operation has reignited political debate in Australia over the return of citizens formerly linked to extremist groups in Syria. The Australian government stated that while it did not facilitate the women’s return, it could not legally prevent Australian citizens from re-entering the country.
A fourth woman who arrived with the group was met by supporters at Melbourne airport but was not arrested or charged by authorities.
The nine children who returned as part of the group are expected to undergo therapeutic support and community reintegration programs as part of Australia’s rehabilitation and monitoring framework for repatriated minors from Syrian detention camps.
Source: Omanghana
