An ISIS-linked group of women and children who have booked flights to return to Australia have been warned by the country’s top cop that there will be arrests.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett and Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed on Wednesday that 13 members have made plans to return.
The official confirmation came after speculation last week that the group had travelled from a northern Syria refugee camp to the capital Damascus and bought plane tickets.
Mr Burke warned the group, which includes four women and nine children, would “face the full force of the law” after making the “horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation”.
The group were understood to have been living in the al-Roj camp in northern Syria for several years after travelling to the region as far back as 2014 during the ISIS caliphate.
It’s understood they will touch down in Australia on Thursday evening.
Group member Janai Safar — a former health science student who married to an Islamic State fighter — is expected to fly into Sydney.
While grandmother Kawsar Abbas, her adult daughters Zeinab and Zahra Ahmed, and their children are expected to fly to Melbourne, according to Nine.
At a joint AFP and ASIO press conference, Mr Burke insisted that the Government was not assisting the individuals with repatriation.
He said agencies have been preparing for their return since 2014 and “have long-standing plans in place to manage and monitor them”.
Ms Barrett added that there was operational planning underway for their return and the reintegration of the children into the community.
“Some individuals will be arrested and charged. I will not flag how many individuals will be arrested or when they will be arrested, to protect a number of our investigations,” she said.
“Some will face continued investigations when they arrive in Australia, and children who return in the cohort will be asked to undergo community integration programs, therapeutic support and countering violent extremism programs.”
ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said their return wouldn’t raise Australia’s threat level, adding that his agency would continue to monitor them.
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.
The independent advocate has previously attended Labor party events and was photographed celebrating at an election night party with Mr Burke.
Videos from the night showed him dancing and hugging the Minister while donning a red supporter shirt and with Mr Burke’s initials spray-painted on his head.
Multicultural Affairs Minister Anne Aly would not be drawn when asked on Wednesday if Labor would distance itself from Dr Rifi after the saga.
Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonno Duniam last week demanded the Albanese Government immediately decide whether to block or manage the return of the cohort from flying back to Australia.
He reiterated his call on Wednesday and accused the Government of being involved in a “behind-close-doors, nudge-nudge, wink-wink” operation with Dr Rifi to help them return.
“The fact that they’re . . . perhaps in the air right now coming back to Australia should send a shiver down the spine of every Australian,” Senator Duniam said.
“There’s still 21 ‘ISIS bride’ cohort members in Syria, and of course, they will ultimately come back. You can rest assured that Tony Burke’s chief campaigner, Dr Jamail Rifi, is working on the balance of that crowd coming back to Australia.
“This is not in our national interest. It is not right to have these people return to Australia.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese repeated Mr Burke’s stance that the government hadn’t aided their travels.
“We have not provided any assistance nor were we involved in those actions of the Syrian Government. We’ve provided no assistance for these people. We’re not repatriating them,” he said in Sydney.
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