‘ISIS brides’ issued passports, government confirms
Australia has issued passports to a group of women and children linked to Islamic State trying to return home from a Syrian refugee camp, a senior government minister has confirmed.
Federal police have insisted they are ready to keep society safe if 34 partners and children of Australian-born Islamic State fighters are allowed back into the country, warning that anyone committing crimes will face the full force of the law.
The opposition wants the entire group of so-called “ISIS brides” stranded in Syria since the fall of the caliphate in 2019 to be prevented from entering Australia on the grounds that they could pose a security risk.
When asked whether the government had issued passports to the group, Home Secretary Tony Burke said all citizens had a legal right to obtain official travel documents.
“Anyone who applies for a passport as a citizen is given a passport just like someone who applies for a Medicare card gets a Medicare card,” he said on ABC’s 7.30 program on Wednesday night.
Asked if that was “a long way to say yes”, Mr Burke said he responded using the words he wanted to use.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had “nothing but contempt” for parents who put their children at risk by traveling to the Middle East.
“We’re not going to do anything to help these people get back to Australia,” he told ABC Radio on Thursday morning.
Some of the women claimed they were forced to leave Australia.
(Stephanie Gardiner/AAP PHOTOS)
The Australian Federal Police say at least 10 people returning from Syria have been charged with crimes since returning to the country; among them were nine men and one woman.
“In the event of allegations that Australians returning to Australia have breached Australian law, they will be subject to law enforcement where and on a case-by-case basis,” an AFP spokesman said in a statement.
The government prevented one of the women from returning home on security grounds and issued them with a “temporary restraining order” which allows the person to be prevented from entering Australia for up to two years.
Opposition home affairs spokesman Jonno Duniam said if one person was banned from entering, the rest of the group should also be kept away from Australia to avoid harm to the community.
But Greens senator Mehreen Faruqi said it was a shame the government was not doing all it could to bring women and children home.
“These are Australian citizens. They need to be brought back and their (security) concerns need to be addressed in Australia,” he told ABC TV.
“These people were left to rot in refugee camps for too long.”
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