3 Australian women face slavery and terrorism charges after return from Syria
AP News • • general
Key Points:
- Three Australian women were denied bail on charges related to slavery and terrorism after returning from Syria with 10 others allegedly linked to the Islamic State group, following years spent in the Roj camp in the Syrian desert.
- Kawsar Abbas and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed face charges including crimes against humanity and slavery, with potential sentences of up to 25 years; they were detained by Kurdish forces in 2019 and held at Roj camp since.
- Janai Safar was charged with membership in a terrorist organization and entering a terrorist-controlled region, with bail refused despite arguments citing PTSD for her and her 9-year-old son.
- The Australian government condemned the women for supporting IS militants, refusing to assist in their repatriation, while expressing sympathy for the children affected by their parents’ decisions.
- Twenty-one other Australian women and children remain in Roj camp, with plans for repatriation underway; some women face temporary exclusion orders banning their return to Australia for up to two years under laws targeting former IS fighters.
