Women linked to ISIS arrested for slavery on return to Australia from Syria

SYDNEY – Counter-terrorism forces arrested two women for slavery on May 7 as they returned to Australia from Syria, where they allegedly committed “crimes against humanity” while supporting ISIS jihadists.

The women and their children – all Australian citizens – landed on the evening of May 7 after securing passage from Syrian refugee camps where they had languished since militant group ISIS’ demise.

Police arrested the women immediately after they landed at Melbourne Airport.

They were among four women and nine children returning to Australia for the first time after allegedly sneaking into Syria to join the ISIS group’s self-declared caliphate in the early 2010s.

Australian Federal Police counter-terrorism boss Stephen Nutt said a 53-year-old woman was accused of a raft of “crimes against humanity”, including possessing a slave, using a slave, and slave trading.

A 31-year-old woman faced two slavery charges, Mr Nutt said. “The women will appear before a court once they have been charged.”

Mr Nutt said there was little else he could say given the looming legal process, but confirmed the offences relating to the charges allegedly took place in Syria.

“All I can say is the safety of the community is the No. 1 priority for all agencies involved,” he told reporters.

A third woman, 32, was arrested after landing in Sydney and would be charged with travelling to a banned area and joining a terrorist organisation, he said.

A fourth woman travelling with the group had not been arrested.

Hundreds of women from Western nations were lured to the Middle East as ISIS gained prominence in the early 2010s, in many cases following husbands who had signed up as jihadist fighters.

Australia, Canada, Britain and other countries are still grappling with how to treat citizens stranded after the militant group collapsed.

‘Horrific choice’

There was a noticeable police presence at both airports ahead of the arrivals.

Australia made it an offence to travel to the ISIS stronghold of Raqqa province in Syria between 2014 and 2017, in an attempt to stop its citizens from joining the militant group.

The cases of these women, widely known as “ISIS brides”, have stirred strong feelings in Australia.

Australia’s Human Rights Commission urged the government in March to help repatriate 34 women and children stuck in Syria’s notorious Roj refugee camp.

But others have accused the women of turning their backs on Australia and believe they should be left to face the consequences.

Australian Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has accused the four returning Australian women of making “a horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation”.

They are not the first Australian citizens to return from Syria’s refugee camps.

Small groups of women and children flew back to Australia in 2019, 2022 and 2025. AFP