Another ‘ISIS bride’ charged after returning from Syria

Australian Federal Police have charged another ISIS-linked Australian woman who recently returned from Syria with terrorism offences.

The charges come on the heels of 19 women and children landing in Sydney and Melbourne from Damascus on Tuesday, which followed a smaller group’s return on May 7.

While three of four women in the first group were arrested upon arrival over serious allegations including slavery — none of the second group were taken into custody when they arrived at the airport.

However, Joint Counter Terrorism teams had immediately seized and downloaded the group’s electronic devices.

In a statement issued on Thursday, AFP confirmed another woman had been charged with terrorism offences as part of ongoing investigations under Operation Kurrajong.

AFP Deputy Commissioner National Security Investigations Hilda Sirec is expected to provide further details on the fresh charges on Thursday afternoon.

During a Senate Estimates session on Wednesday, Department of Home Affairs chief Stephanie Foster had said that while no members of the second group had been arrested upon landing, investigations were ongoing.

“Of the cohort which arrived last night, none of the women were arrested on arrival as was the case with the first cohort,” Ms Foster had told the Parliament.

“But the activities of the law enforcement and the intelligence agencies in regard to the women who returned are ongoing.

“So, they remain under consideration.”

Many of the women had been families of ISIS fighters who travelled to the region from as early as 2014 for the would-be caliphate.

The group were understood to have been living in the al-Roj camp in northern Syria for several years.

The Nightly last year revealed Sydney doctor Dr Jamal Rifi had flown to the Middle East from Sydney to coordinate an attempt to repatriate the Australians.

Prior to their arrival, shadow home affairs minister Jonno Duniam had demanded the Albanese Government immediately decide whether to block or manage the return of the cohort from flying back to Australia.

Only one woman had been issued a Temporary Exclusion Order in February before the group attempted to leave the notorious camp.

Australian Border Force Commissioner Gavan Reynolds has confirmed the mother — believed to be western Sydney woman Hodan Abby — had tried to leave the airport in Damascus on Monday evening but had been blocked by airport staff.

The AFP are expected to also appear before Senate Estimates on Thursday afternoon before sessions with the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation, and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission.