Australian police have charged two women linked to the extremist group ISIS with slavery offenses after their return from Syria, where they were detained in a refugee camp for over seven years.
Charges Against Two Women
Two women, aged 53 and 31, were arrested at Melbourne Airport on Thursday. They face charges of crimes against humanity, specifically related to owning and utilizing a slave while in Syria. These charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison.
- Allegations: Police state that both women traveled to Syria in 2014 with their families and allegedly kept a female slave at their residences.
- Investigation Status: Australian Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism Stephen Nutt confirmed that this remains an active investigation into very serious allegations.
Separate Arrest: Terror-Related Offenses
Separately, a 32-year-old Australian woman was arrested at Sydney Airport on the same day. She has been charged with terror-related offenses, including allegations of joining the Islamic State. This charge carries a maximum jail term of 10 years, and she is scheduled to appear in a Sydney court on Friday.
- Background: Police reported that this woman traveled to Syria in 2015 to join her husband, who had previously left Australia and joined ISIS.
Context of Repatriations and Government Response
These arrests occur against a backdrop of ongoing repatriation efforts from Syrian camps following the defeat of ISIS.
- Recent Arrivals: Earlier this week, the government reported that four women and nine children planned to return to Australia from Syrian camps without official assistance.
- Government Stance: While critics have questioned the government's efforts to prevent such returns, officials stated there were "very serious limits" on what authorities could do to prevent Australian citizens from re-entering the country.
- Broader Context: Following ISIS's territorial defeat, many relatives of suspected fighters were detained in Syrian camps. The Australian government previously repatriated four women and 13 children from Syrian camps in 2022. Approximately 21 Australians remain in al-Roj camp, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp.
