Opposition repeats calls for Government to come clean on attempts by group of ISIS brides to return to Aus

The federal Opposition has repeated calls for the Albanese Government to come clean on attempts by a group of ISIS brides and their children to return to Australia, as confusion reigns over what role federal authorities are playing in their attempted repatriation.

Having left Australian shores years ago, the 11 ISIS brides and their 23 children are now stuck in a north Syrian refugee camp and want to return.

Although the Prime Minister and Australian authorities say there is no help from Australia to come back, they are refusing to confirm or deny reports that the women are being provided with passports and other travel documents to escape the camp.

“Australians are fearful of what this might mean for our national security if this cohort are returned, especially in the absence of detail from this government,” shadow minister for home affairs and immigration Jonno Duniam said on Saturday.

“The government needs to come out now and satisfy all of our questions to make sure Australia is safe and that we don’t have this risk to national security we believe is coming back to us from Syria.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has confirmed one of the ISIS brides trying to leave a Syrian detention camp had been banned from returning to Australia up to two years.

Mr Duniam wants to know why the remaining 10 have also not been banned.

“Why was it the case that the government deemed only one of these individuals was suitable for slapping a temporary exclusion zone on, and not the other 10 or part of the child cohort?” Mr Duniam said.

Mr Albanese during the week said he had “nothing but contempt for the women”.

“We won’t repatriate them. These are people who basically want a caliphate,” the Prime Minister said.

On Saturday, a federal government spokesperson issued this statement: “The Australian Government is not and will not repatriate people from Syria. Our security agencies have been monitoring — and continue to monitor — the situation in Syria to ensure they are prepared for any Australians seeking to return to Australia.

“People in this cohort need to know that if they have committed a crime and if they return to Australia they will be met with the full force of the law.

“The safety of Australians and the protection of Australia’s national interests remain the overriding priority.”