Islamic State-linked families to return to Australia
A group of ISIS-linked families have confirmed plans to return to Australia, the home affairs minister said.
Tony Burke said in a statement that the group of four women and nine children had finalized plans to return to Australia after being stranded in a Syrian refugee camp for years.
Mr Burke said the government had not assisted the group in any way.
“These are people who have made the terrible choice to join a dangerous terrorist organization and put their children in an indescribable situation,” he said.
“Any member of this group who commits a crime can expect to face the full force of the law.”
In late April, it was revealed that the group of 13 people had left Al Roj camp for the Syrian capital Damascus, with plans to return to Australia.
At that point, they had not yet departed and it was unclear whether they had purchased plane tickets to return.
Mr Burke said Australian intelligence agencies had been preparing for the group’s potential return since 2014 and plans were in place to monitor them.
“The government’s priority, as always, is the safety of the Australian community,” he said.
A group of around 30 women and children have been trying to return to Australia from Syria for years after traveling to the Middle East with men seeking to fight for the Islamic State before the overthrow of the caliphate in 2019.
A larger group recently attempted to leave the Roj camp for Damascus on their way to Australia but were turned back by local authorities and had to return.
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