An Australian woman with links to ISIS, who is barred from Australia on a temporary exclusion order, tried to board a flight home with the other members of Tuesday’s returning cohort.
It has been revealed that the woman, Hodan Abby, was travelling with 21 women and children who landed in Sydney and Melbourne on Tuesday night, after spending seven years in Syria’s al-Roj detention camp.
Ms Abby was issued a temporary exclusion order (TEO) in February, and was blocked from boarding a flight in Damascus after an airline check-in desk received a warning from the Australian Border Force (ABF).
Second ISIS-linked brides return
ABF commissioner Gavan Reynolds told a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday that security systems worked effectively.
“[If someone tries to board a flight], the airline will receive a do not board message. They will then contact the Australian Border Operations Centre, and it will be confirmed the individual cannot board the aircraft,” he told the committee.
Tony Burke issued the temporary exclusion order based on advice from ASIO. (ABC News: Matt Roberts)
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke issued the exclusion order against Ms Abby in February on national security grounds, following ASIO advice.
It is understood Ms Abby travelled to Syria as a teenager in 2015 to marry an ISIS fighter, who has since been killed, and gave birth to a daughter overseas who remains with her in Syria.
ISIS-linked women could face charges
Unlike a separate ISIS-linked cohort that returned to Australia earlier this month, no arrests or charges have been laid against the seven women who landed in Sydney and Melbourne on Tuesday night.
Members of the cohort remain under investigation and could still face charges.
Home Affairs Department secretary Stephanie Foster told the Senate estimates committee that “activities in law enforcement and intelligence agencies are ongoing, so that [pressing charges] remains under consideration.”
Stephanie Foster says federal police investigations into the cohort remain ongoing. (ABC News: Adam Kennedy)
During Question Time, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said of the two recent cohorts that had returned, three women were currently “behind bars”.
“One for being charged with entering a declared [terrorist] area, two charged with crimes against humanity,” he said.
“No one should presume that at any point in time the work of AFP [Australian Federal Police] is over.”
NSW asks for extra funding
The Senate committee was also told the NSW government had asked the federal government for additional resourcing to monitor the returned ISIS-linked families.
Home Affairs counter terrorism coordinator Brendan Dowling confirmed the department had received correspondence from the NSW government in late April, “seeking further financial assistance to support their work in the reintegration of the cohort they were expecting to return”.
The overall Commonwealth funding for counter-violent extremism programs in New South Wales is $15.42 million to 2028, and $16.28 million in Victoria over the same period.
A large group left al-Roj camp in northern Syria last week, with most making it back to their home country on flights from Qatar. (ABC News: Baderkhan Ahmad)
“We have not changed our position at a Commonwealth level that we do not provide specific support in relation to any individual, so we have not provided any further support to that specific request,” Mr Dowling said.
However, Ms Foster said a formal response had not yet been provided, which would ultimately be a matter for the government.
The federal opposition has suggested the ongoing cost of monitoring and rehabilitating the women and children could cost taxpayers up to $2 million annually. The government has not provided an alternative figure.
Nationals MP Michael McCormack has said the women have a right to return to Australia. (ABC Riverina: Jess Scully)
Nationals MP Michael McCormack has acknowledged the cohort should legally be allowed in the country despite ongoing objections from the Coalition about the women’s passports.
“It is their citizenship right, but their citizenship right should be revoked if they’re found to do the wrong thing,” he told the ABC on Wednesday afternoon.
“All Australians would expect that at a minimum.”