Federal police charge returnee with terrorism offences as Roj camp repatriations conclude
A 34-year-old woman faces charges for entering a declared conflict zone and joining ISIL, coinciding with the final wave of repatriations from Roj camp and broader investigations into enslavement-related crimes.
Australian authorities have laid charges against a 34-year-old woman for membership in a terrorist organisation and entering a declared conflict zone, marking the latest development in the legal processing of nationals repatriated from Syria. The woman, who arrived in Australia in September alongside another adult, is scheduled to appear in a Melbourne court on Thursday.
Federal Police Assistant Commissioner Hilda Sirec confirmed that the offences carry potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison. The charges follow the woman’s travel to Syria in 2013 or 2014, her subsequent detention by Kurdish forces in 2019, and her long-term holding at the al-Hol camp with her family.
The legal action coincides with the arrival of further women and children from the Roj camp in northeast Syria, where families of ISIL fighters have been detained since 2019 without formal legal process. Authorities believe this latest group, arriving in Sydney and Melbourne, comprises the last remaining Australians previously held in Roj camp.
Among the recent arrivals, additional charges have been laid against other returnees. Kawsar Ahmad and Zeinab Ahmad, a mother and daughter who arrived earlier this month, face enslavement-related offences. Another returnee, Janai Safar, has been charged with entering a declared conflict zone and joining ISIL. Three women in the latest group face further charges, including crimes against humanity.
Assistant Commissioner Sirec emphasised that investigations into all adult returnees remain active, noting that a period without charges being laid does not indicate that inquiries have ceased. The repatriations have sparked political debate, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stating the government did not assist in their return and asserting that individuals must face the consequences of their actions.
Advocacy groups have argued that Australia must uphold the right of its citizens to return, particularly for children who should not bear responsibility for their parents’ actions. The case highlights the ongoing governance challenges surrounding the legal and social reintegration of nationals linked to the group that once controlled territory across Syria and Iraq roughly equivalent in size to the United Kingdom.
