3 WOMEN BACK FROM SYRIA CHARGED IN AUSTRALIA OVER ISIS LINKS

Two women, charged with crimes against humanity offences allegedly committed in Syria, are pictured after being arrested on arrival into Melbourne, Australia.Australian Federal Police

Fri 08 May 2026:

Three Australian women were denied bail on Friday after appearing in court on charges of slavery and terrorism. They returned from Syria with 10 others who police say have links to the Islamic State group.

The four women and nine children, who have spent years in Roj camp in the Syrian desert, landed on two Qatar Airways flights from Doha on Thursday despite the Australian government warning they would face charges if they returned.

Kawsar Abbas, 53, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed, 31, were charged in a Melbourne court in relation to allegations that their family bought a female Yazidi slave for $10,000, police said in a statement.

Their lawyers said they would apply for both women to be released on bail on Monday. Neither woman spoke during their brief court appearance. Bail was formally denied.

The mother was charged with four crimes against humanity under Australian law, and the daughter was charged with two slavery crimes. Each charge carries a potential penalty of 25 years in prison.

Kurdish forces detained both women in March 2019, and they’ve remained at Roj camp with other family members since then. The camp, located in northeast Syria near the Iraqi border, mainly houses women and children who fled areas previously held by the Islamic State group.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said Friday he had sympathy for the returned children, but none for the parents who could expect no government support.

“I have absolutely zero sympathy for these people,” Albanese told reporters. “I do have sympathy for the children, who are victims of decisions that their parents have made.”

“It is appropriate that they undergo support: children who’ve been subject and exposed to all sorts of horrors in those camps,” Albanese added.

Janai Safar, 32, was arrested at Sydney Airport and charged with membership in a terrorist organization. On Friday, a judge denied her bail during a Sydney court hearing where she appeared by video link from prison.

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Meanwhile, 21 Australian women and children are still at Roj camp. Supporters say they plan to bring them back to Australia within weeks.

One of those women is banned from returning to Australia by a temporary exclusion order.

Australia can use such orders to prevent high-risk citizens from returning for up to two years.

The orders were created by laws introduced to in 2019 to prevent defeated IS fighters from returning to Australia. There are no public reports of an order being issued before.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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