Three ‘ISIS brides’ set to face crimes against humanity, terror charges

Two women with links to ISIS are expected to be charged with crimes against humanity and another will be accused of being part of a terrorist group following their long-speculated return to Australia.

Police arrested two women, aged 53 and 31, as they landed at Melbourne Airport this evening, and a third – 32-year-old Janai Safar, who was traveling with her nine-year-old son – in Sydney.

AFP Assistant Commissioner for Counter-Terrorism Stephen Nutt said the elderly woman was expected to be charged with four crimes against humanity: slavery, owning a slave and using and engaging in the slave trade, while the 31-year-old would be charged with slavery and using a slave.

They all carry a prison sentence of 25 years, if proven.

Nutt said the 32-year-old who landed in Sydney was expected to be charged with entering or remaining in a specified area and membership of a terrorist organisation.

The return of four women commonly described as ‘ISIS brides’ and nine children, who had lived for years in the Syrian refugee camp Al-Roj, sparked major police operations at Melbourne and Sydney airports this evening, after weeks of heated political debate.

The cohort who followed their ISIS partners to Syria more than a decade ago have had a long journey on their return to Australia.

The women and their children have been held in refugee camps in northeastern Syria for years following the collapse of ISIS, and recently failed to leave the camp and headed to Australia earlier this year.

The families left the infamous Al-Roj camp for the Syrian capital almost two weeks ago in their second attempt to return to Australia, and have been waiting in limbo in Damascus ever since.

On Wednesday, the Australian government confirmed that the group had booked flights to Australia.

The women were looking forward to having a latte on Melbourne’s Collins Street, according to an ABC journalist on the flight from Doha, who spoke to the women before they boarded.

Some children reportedly have Australian accents, despite being born in Syria and never setting foot in Australia.

The Australian government insists it did not help the group return to Australia.

Former deputy immigration secretary Abul Rizvi said there was no doubt the government was “involved in the sense that they had people monitoring these groups.”

“Also, those passports would have been processed when they applied for passports… so in that sense the government was involved,” he said.

“The distinction I think the government is making is that they were not involved in the repatriation. They did not arrange or pay for the return of these people.”

The opposition had called on the government to revoke their travel documents or issue a temporary exclusion order to keep the entire cohort out of the country, but the government argued they should be allowed to travel as Australian citizens.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and other ministers repeatedly urged the women not to return to Australia.

Nutt said this evening that whether or not the alleged crimes reach a level that would warrant a temporary exclusion order is a matter for the Home Office.

National Senator Bridget McKenzie and Independent Senator David Pocock previewed the debate this morning Today.

McKenzie said there were “serious concerns” surrounding the group of women, claiming the children had “already been radicalised”.

“I want to know why the government has not revoked their travel documents on national security grounds,” she said.

Pocock pointed out that the women were Australian citizens but that the public nevertheless expected “the full force of the law” to be issued, but argued that “Australian children deserve a second chance”.

He said it was preferable for the group to be in Australia where they could face legal consequences and deradicalisation programs, but McKenzie claimed the programs had a low success rate.

“I think we really need to differentiate between mature adults and children who haven’t had a say in going abroad,” Pocock said.

The women arrested tonight could appear in court tomorrow if they are charged tonight.

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