Sydney/Melbourne – Three women linked to the former Islamic State group have been arrested and charged after arriving in Australia from Doha on Thursday night.
The women, who had spent more than six years in refugee camps in Syria following the collapse of ISIS in 2019, were detained at Sydney Airport and Melbourne Airport shortly after landing with their children.
Two women arrested in Melbourne, believed to be 53-year-old Kawsar Abbas and 31-year-old Zeinab Ahmed, are facing charges related to crimes against humanity, including enslavement. One of the women has also been accused of slave trading. These offences carry maximum penalties of 25 years imprisonment.
A third woman, believed to be 32-year-old Janai Safar, was arrested in Sydney and charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation and entering or remaining in a declared conflict zone. Those offences carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison.
Stephen Nutt said the alleged offences took place in Syria and were linked to investigations dating back to 2015. He confirmed the women were expected to appear in courts in Sydney and Melbourne as early as the following day.
Authorities stated that community safety remained the highest priority during the operation.