Government ‘unaware’ of booked flights for ISIS brides returning home

The Australian government is unaware of plans for the remaining group of so-called ISIS brides to return home as reports emerge they are on their way to the airport.

Six women, their children and grandchildren have now left the Al Roj camp in Syria for Damascus, the ABC reported.

Nine.com.au understands the government is not aware of any group booking tickets or making plans to return home at this stage.
A group of so-called ISIS brides and their children. (9News)

Earlier this week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese reiterated that the government was not providing any assistance to the cohort, and anyone suspected of breaking the law will face the full force of the law when reports emerged they would likely return home soon.

Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek repeated that statement to the ABC this morning.

“I can tell you they will face the same consequences as their first group, which is if there are any crimes they are accused of, they will be taken into custody and treated with the full force of the law,” she said.

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor called on the government to do whatever it could to stop the group from entering Australia.

“The government should be doing everything in its power to prevent these people from coming because they turned their backs on our country to support a terrorist organisation,” he told reporters today

“One that has been guilty of extraordinary atrocities, including on Australians.”

Last month, four women and nine children boarded flights from Damascus to Sydney and Melbourne.

Three of the women – 53-year-old Kawsar Ahmad, her 31-year-old daughter Zeinab Ahmad, and 32-year-old Janai Safar – were arrested upon arrival and later charged.
Court sketches depicting Kawsar Ahmad (left) and Zeinab Ahmad (right) during their bail hearings. (AAP)
Janai Safar arriving at Mascot Police Station (A Current Affair)

The mother and daughter were charged with slavery-related offences, while Safar was charged with joining a terrorist organisation and travelling to a declared conflict zone.

All three currently remain in custody pending future court dates.

They are all part of the wider group of 34 Australians – 11 women and 23 children – who have spent the last seven years at the camp due to their alleged links to Islamic State fighters.

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has only been able to legally ban one of the women from returning to Australia.

She is expected to remain behind in Syria. Her children will likely join the second group in returning to Australia.

A group of Australians travelled to Syria and Iraq to either join or support ISIS from 2012 to 2019.

The federal government has been making plans for their return since 2013.

A group of children of a convicted ISIS terrorist were repatriated to Australia in 2019 under the Morrison government and a second group of women and children were repatriated three years later under the Albanese government.