Repatriated ISIS bride arrested just months after government returned her to Australia
The wife of an Islamic State fighter who was controversially returned to Australia at the end of last year has been arrested and charged by the Australian Federal Police.
The 31-year-old woman was arrested on Thursday after an extensive investigation was carried out by NSW Police and the AFP alongside several intelligence agencies.
She will face Wagga Wagga Local Court via audio visual link on Friday, charged with entering, or remaining in, declared areas, contrary to section 119.2 of the Criminal Code (Cth).
NSW Police revealed the Australian national is currently living in Young, about four hours south-west of Sydney.
The woman is alleged to have willingly travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband despite knowing his links with ISIS.
“It will be alleged in court that the woman, who is now living in Young, travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband, who left Australia in 2013 and joined Islamic State,” the AFP and NSW Police said in a joint statement.
“It will also be alleged the woman was aware of her husband’s activities with Islamic State, and willingly travelled to the conflict region. The woman’s husband is believed to have died in Syria in 2018.”
The woman was part of a group of 17 family members of ISIS fighters who were repatriated to Australia from a northern Syria refugee camp last October.
The four women and their 13 children were just the first stage of a highly sensitive operation which will repatriate 60 women and children from refugee camps in Syria.
The joint investigation had been tracking the woman since she was in Syria and continued following her return to Australia, with “newly obtained evidence” providing the JCTT with means to charge her.
The AFP and NSW Police have said while there is no “current or impending threat” to the Australian community, people returning from conflict zones would still face scrutiny from investigators.
“Individuals will be brought before the courts when evidence supports allegations that returned individuals have committed offences in conflict areas,” Acting Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command Sandra Booth said.
“The JCTT will continue to target criminal activity and does not target specific ideologies or beliefs.”
The offence the woman is charged with carries a penalty of up to 10 years behind bars.
Source: skynews
