Three Australian ISIS brides charged with slavery and terror offences after Syria return
Two Australian women arrested upon their return to Melbourne from Syria have been charged with multiple crimes against humanity following a long-running counter-terrorism investigation.
The women, aged 53 and 31, were detained at Melbourne Airport after arriving in Australia on Wednesday before being charged by Victoria’s Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT), comprising the AFP, Victoria Police and ASIO.
They will appear in Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Friday.
The 53-year-old woman is accused of four crimes: slavery, owning a slave, using a slave and engaging in the slave trade. The penalty for each crime is a maximum of 25 years in prison.
It will be alleged that she traveled to Syria with her husband and children in 2014 and was complicit in the purchase of a female slave for US$10,000 before knowingly keeping the woman in the family home.
The 31-year-old woman is charged with two counts of enslavement and slave use, which also carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.
Authorities will allege that he traveled to Syria with his family in 2014 and knowingly kept a female slave at home.
Both women had been detained by Kurdish forces since March 2019, when they were captured and held with their family members in the Al Roj Internally Displaced Persons camp.
AFP Deputy Counter-Terrorism Commissioner Stephen Nutt said authorities had been preparing for the potential return of Australians from conflict zones for more than a decade.
“Australian JCTTs regularly investigate all Australians traveling to declared conflict zones and will ensure that those alleged to have committed crimes are brought before the courts,” Assistant Commissioner Nutt said.
“JCTTs include some of the most experienced national security researchers and analysts in our country.
“This remains an active investigation into very serious allegations.”
He said operational planning began in 2015 and was later formalized under a national operation known as Kurrajong.
Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien said officers were working closely with partner agencies to ensure community safety remained a top priority.
“Victoria Police will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners and other agencies to ensure there is no risk to our local community,” Assistant Commissioner O’Brien said.
“We want to reassure all Victorians that anyone resident in our state who commits serious crimes, including those returning from conflict zones, will be held accountable.”
Authorities stated that the investigation continues.
A third woman was also arrested in Sydney on separate charges after arriving in Australia.
The 32-year-old man was detained at Sydney Airport on Thursday night and later charged with entering or remaining in a declared conflict zone and being a member of a terrorist organisation. Both crimes carry a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.
It is claimed that she left Australia and went to Syria in 2015 to join her husband, who joined ISIS.
He is expected to appear in court in Sydney today.
