Two Women Married to Australian ISIS Fighters Declared Extremists in Syrian Camp
The director of the Al Roj camp in Syria, Hakamia Ibrahim, has officially designated two women, who reportedly married Australian ISIS fighters, as extremists. These women are being held separately from a larger group of 11 women and 23 children, who are currently appealing to the Australian government for assistance in returning home.
Ms Ibrahim stated to The Australian, "In the camp, they (Australians) did not cause problems – except for two people, of course. They are still among the extremists, from the extremist women." It is important to note that these women may not be Australian citizens themselves but are instead spouses of Australian nationals who fought for the Islamic State.
Security Measures and Temporary Exclusion Orders
This development coincides with the imposition of a temporary exclusion order on one of the Australian women from the group seeking repatriation. The order, which is active for two years, was issued following advice from security agencies. The identity of this woman remains undisclosed, and it is unclear whether she has any children who might be separated from her as a result of the ban.
Last week, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed that none of the other women or children in the cohort have met the legal thresholds required for such exclusion orders. However, he emphasised that the government continues to monitor the situation closely.
Probe into Alleged Extremist Statements
In a related incident, the Daily Mail revealed on Wednesday that the Australian Federal Police have launched an investigation into one of the brides from the original group. This probe was initiated after allegations surfaced that she once told her former housemate, "I want to go and make bombs."
The woman in question, Kirsty Rosse-Emile, 31, who also goes by the Islamic name Asma, previously claimed she was deceived into entering the warzone with her ISIS fighter husband, Nabil Kadmiry, when she was just 14 years old. In an interview with the ABC last year, she refused to elaborate on how she ended up in Syria, citing potential personal repercussions.
However, her former housemate, identified only as Sara, contradicted this account, asserting that Rosse-Emile was fully aware of her actions when she travelled to Syria to pledge allegiance to ISIS. Sara recalled an incident from 2010 when Rosse-Emile, then about 17 and living in a unit attached to her home in Melbourne, was asked if she wanted to return to school. "Asma turned around and said 'I don't want to go to school, I want to go and make bombs'," Sara stated, adding that she is prepared to testify in court to prevent Rosse-Emile from re-entering Australia.
Government Stance on Repatriation
During an appearance on ABC's Insiders program, Minister Burke declined to rule out the possibility of issuing further bans on other ISIS brides attempting to return to Australia. He affirmed, "We never stop collecting information on people. If the agencies decide it's in the interest of public safety for additional orders to be issued, they'd be issued straight away."
Burke further highlighted his commitment to following security advice, stating, "Unlike my opponents, I take the advice of these agencies really seriously... their advice matters. The moment their advice came to me on this one person, I worked through it and the temporary exclusion order was issued."
As the situation unfolds, the Australian government continues to balance national security concerns with the complex humanitarian issues surrounding the repatriation of individuals associated with extremist groups in conflict zones.
