Australia Arrests 3 Women With Alleged IS Links After Return From Syria

<p><em>Edited by: Rana Taha</em></p> <p>Australian authorities arrested three women who arrived at Sydney and Melbourne airports after flying back from Syria where they had allegedly supported fighters from the so-called "Islamic State" (IS), police said.</p> <p>The women, aged 31, 32 and 53, are all Australian citizens. They have spent the last few years in refugee camps in Syria after the downfall of IS.</p> <p>Another woman who was travelling with the group was not arrested. According to reports, nine children were also among the groups flying back to Australia.</p> <h2>Women welcomed by security and reporters</h2> <p>Police said ahead of the arrivals that the women could be charged with "terrorism offences" after travelling to a banned area, as well as "crimes against humanity offences such as engaging in slave trading."</p> <p>The groups of returnees were greeted by black-clad security personnel as well as throngs of journalists.</p> <p>Heavily-armed police officers were present to supervise the escorting of the women and children past the reporters to a minibus, the Australian public broadcaster ABC said.</p> <h2>Australia not keen for return of citizens from Syria</h2> <p>Australia, as well as countries like the UK and Canada, has been reluctant to bring back its citizens who traveled to Syria to support IS.</p> <p>Australian officials said they would not help IS-connected individuals to return, but also could not stop them.</p> <p>Some 21 Australians are still believed to be in the Al-Roj camp in north-eastern Syria, according to ABC.</p> <p>One of the returning women told the broadcaster she was looking forward to being back in Australia.</p> <p>"We just want our children to be safe. It was like hell [in Syria] for them," she told ABC in Doha Airport before boarding the flight to Melbourne.</p> <p>Australian law considered travel to the former Syrian IS stronghold of Raqqa without a legitimate reason between 2014 and 2017 illegal.</p> <p><em>Disclaimer: This report first appeared on&nbsp;<strong>Deutsche Welle</strong>, and has been republished on&nbsp;<strong>ABP Live</strong>&nbsp;as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by&nbsp;<strong>ABP Live</strong>.</em></p>

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