Two ISIS Brides charged with slavery offences after landing in Melbourne

Two Islamic State-linked women have been charged with slavery-related offences after landing in Melbourne on Thursday night.

Grandmother Kawsar Abbas, 54, and 31-year-old daughter Zeinab were among four women and nine children who arrived in Sydney and Melbourne amid a political debate over whether they should have been permitted to return home to Australia.

On Friday morning the pair were charged with enslavement, and using a slave. Kawsar was also charged with possessing a slave and engaging in slave trading. The offences each carry a maximum penalty of 25 years imprisonment.

“It will be alleged the woman travelled to Syria in 2014 with her family and knowingly kept a female slave in the home,” the Australian Federal Police said in a statement.

The mother and daughter were taken into police custody after arriving at Melbourne Airport. They are expected to face Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday.

The women arrived from Syria, where they had been living in the al-Roj refugee camp for seven years after leaving Australia to join their partners, who were involved with Islamic State. They were detained in the camp by Kurdish forces in March 2019, the AFP said.

Kawsar travelled to Syria with Zeinab and her other daughter Zahra to join her husband, their father, Muhammad Ahmed.

The fourth woman who returned to Australia was not arrested. The children will be placed into anti-radicalisation programs and given psychological support as they begin a new life in Australia after spending most of their lives in war zones and decrepit camps.

AFP Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism, Stephen Nutt, said investigation was active and involved “very serious allegations”.

Victoria Police Assistant Commissioner Martin O’Brien said the safety of all Victorians remains paramount.

“Victoria Police will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners and other agencies to ensure there is no risk to our local community,” he said.

“We want to reassure all Victorians that anyone residing in our state who has committed serious criminal offences, including those returning from conflict areas, will be held to account.”

The women’s return has been subject of a heated political debate, with the government insisting it had no role in their repatriation and that it could do little to intervene as the women were Australian citizens.

Nationals Leader Matt Canavan said on Friday morning that the government should have accessed special powers to deny the women entry.

“We offered to give the government more powers that were rejected,” he told ABC Radio National.

“I think what’s really important now is that the prime minister come out today and explain how this has helped … and he should explain to Australian people how he’s keeping them safe.”