The Australian Federal Police (AFP) allege Kawsar Ahmad travelled to Syria in 2014 with her husband and children, and was complicit in the purchase of a female slave for US$10,000, “and knowingly kept the woman in the home”.<\/p>\n
For Zeinab Ahmad, police allege she also travelled to Syria in 2014 with her family and knowingly kept a female slave in the home. These charges carry a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison.<\/p>\n
The pair appeared at Melbourne Magistrates Court on Friday and were remanded in custody until Monday, when their lawyers said they would apply for bail. Neither was required to speak at the brief hearing.<\/p>\n
Another of Kawsar Ahmad’s adult children, Zahra Ahmad, also arrived in Melbourne on Thursday but was not detained.<\/p>\n
For Safar, police allege she travelled to Syria in 2015 to join her husband, who had previously left Australia and joined IS. <\/p>\n
She has also been charged with being a member of a terrorist organisation. Both offences carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment. She was remanded in custody on Friday and will next appear in court in July.<\/p>\n
AFP Assistant Commissioner for Counter Terrorism Stephen Nutt said police have being investigating “all Australians who travelled to declared conflict areas and will ensure those who are alleged to have committed a criminal offence are put before the courts”.<\/p>\n
“This remains an active investigation into very serious allegations,” he said.<\/p>\n
The three women who were arrested on Thursday<\/a> were part of a group of four women and nine children who arrived in Australia on Thursday.<\/p>\n They are part of a larger cohort of 34 Australian women and children who had been living at the al-Roj camp in Syria since 2019.<\/p>\n The cohort left the camp in February in a bid to return to Australia but were returned to the camp for “technical reasons”<\/a> with the Australian government refusing to offer them any assistance.<\/p>\n