‘ISIS brides’ arrested at airport after touchdown house accused of terror and slavery
Three women accused of being ‘ISIS brides’ were arrested as they stepped off a flight home, ending a near decade-long police wait, with the trio facing terror and slavery charges
Police officers escorting two Australian women after their arrest upon their arrival at Melbourne International Airport in Melbourne, following their return from Syria(Image: AUSTRALIA FEDERAL POLICE/AFP via Getty Images)
Three women with alleged links to ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) were arrested on Thursday (May 7), as they got off a flight while attempting to return to their home country. The dramatic arrest reportedly marked the ending of what police described as a near decade-long wait to take them into custody.
The women, 31-year-old Zeinab Ahmed, 32-year-old Janai Safar, and 53-year-old Kawsar Abbas, are accused of offences connected to terrorism, enslavement and slave trading dating back to 2015.
AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Stephen Nutt said the charges carry maximum sentences ranging from 10 years for terrorism-related offences to 25 years for slavery-related offences.
The trio are reportedly part of a wider group often referred to as the “ISIS brides”, four Australian women along with nine children and grandchildren who travelled to Syria to marry Islamic State fighters before the group’s so-called caliphate collapsed in 2019. Similar cases were seen across Europe, with women travelling to join the group.
The women have since appeared in court and were remanded in custody after being denied bail. Janai Safar faces charges related to ISIS membership, while Kawsar Abbas and Zeinab Ahmed are charged with international slavery offences involving the alleged purchase of a Yazidi woman, ABC News reported.
Men dressed in black reportedly waited for the women at Melbourne Airport, with some allegedly wearing masks, and attempted to escort them out of the terminal. The women had previously been held for several years at Al Roj camp in north-eastern Syria.
The facility was controlled by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) until fighting involving the SDF and Syria’s new government, following the fall of Bashar Assad, led to the group relinquishing control of Al Roj and other sites. The group is reported to have left the camp several weeks ago.
Since February, Syria’s new government has been trying to expel the Australian citizens, despite efforts by Australia to prevent their return, creating a political row for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s Labour government and criticism from opponents.
Before they arrived back in Australia, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said no help would be offered beyond passports.
There are an estimated 30 to 65 UK-linked individuals still detained in northeastern Syria, with many specifically held at the Al Roj camp.
Between 55 and 72 people linked to the UK are thought to remain spread across detention sites and camps in Syria, according to reported estimates.
They include women and children, many of whom have spent years held in facilities run in the north-east of the country.
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters .
