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Charges laid against returnee from Syria
A 34-year-old woman with alleged ties to the Islamic State group has been charged with terrorism-related offences after returning to Australia from Syria last year, federal police announced on Thursday.
Recent arrivals from al-Roj camp
The woman, identified by local media as Rayann El Houli, arrived in Australia in September alongside another woman. She is scheduled to appear in a Melbourne court later today.
Her arrest follows the return of two groups of women and children this month from the al-Roj camp in northeastern Syria, where families of IS fighters have been detained since 2019. These returnees are believed to be the last Australians held in the camp.
Nature of the charges
El Houli faces two counts: membership in a terrorist organisation and entering a declared conflict zone. Both offences carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, according to Hilda Sirec, assistant commissioner of the Australian Federal Police.
Sirec told reporters that El Houli travelled to Syria between 2013 and 2014 and was later detained by Kurdish forces in 2019, spending time in Syria's al-Hawl camp.
Ongoing investigations
Police confirmed that all adult women who have recently returned to Australia are under investigation. Sirec emphasised that the absence of immediate charges does not indicate that inquiries have concluded.
"A period of time without charges being laid is not an indicator that investigations have ceased," Sirec said.
Other returnees face serious allegations
Among those who arrived earlier this month, three women are facing various charges, including crimes against humanity. Kawsar Ahmad and her daughter Zeinab Ahmad, who returned to Melbourne, have been charged with enslavement and using a slave, with Kawsar also accused of slave trading.
In Sydney, Janai Safar was charged with entering and remaining in a declared conflict zone, as well as joining IS.
Political and ethical debate
The repatriation of these women and children has sparked intense political discussion in Australia. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has maintained that the government provided no assistance for their return, stating, "If you make your bed, you lie in it."
Advocacy groups, however, argue that Australia has a duty to uphold the right of return for its citizens and that children, in particular, should not be penalised for the actions of their parents.
