Arabic version: نساء أستراليات متهمات بجرائم مرتبطة بتنظيم الدولة الإسلامية

Three Australian women with links to the Islamic State (IS) group have been formally charged after returning home from Syria. Kawsar Abbas, 53, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed, 31, were arrested at Melbourne airport and are scheduled to appear in court on Friday. Abbas faces four charges of crimes against humanity, while Ahmed is charged with two similar offenses. Both women are accused of keeping a female slave in their home after traveling to Syria in 2014.

According to BBC News, Abbas allegedly purchased a female slave for US$10,000 and knowingly kept her in their home. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. The third woman, Janai Safar, 32, was arrested upon landing in Sydney and faces charges of allegedly entering and remaining in a declared conflict zone and joining IS. She is also accused of being a member of a terrorist organization, with potential penalties of up to 10 years.

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) have stated that they are conducting ongoing investigations into all Australians who have traveled to declared conflict areas, aiming to ensure that those who may have committed criminal offenses are brought to justice. Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism Stephen Nutt emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, noting that the investigation remains active.

The three women were part of a larger group of 34 Australians, including women and children, who had been living in the al-Roj camp in Syria since 2019. They had attempted to return to Australia earlier this year but were initially sent back to the camp for “technical reasons.” There were chaotic scenes at Melbourne airport when the only woman not arrested was surrounded by a group of men attempting to shield her and the children from the media.