The Australian government said it is not involved in efforts to return a group of women linked to Islamic State and their children from Syria, after Syrian authorities claimed the group had been blocked from travelling because Australia refused to receive them.
Health Minister Mark Butler said the government was not assisting the return of the four women and nine children, and was not engaged with Syrian authorities, but did not confirm whether Australia had played any role in preventing their departure.
“I can’t speak for what decisions Syrian authorities are taking,” Butler told reporters on May 1. “We’re not engaged with them.”
Reports from Syria suggested the group had travelled from al-Roj camp to Damascus with the intention of flying to Australia, but were unable to board a flight.
A government source told AAP that none of the individuals had booked flights. It remains unclear why they were prevented from departing.
The term “ISIS brides” is used to describe women from western countries who travelled to Syria and Iraq to marry and support members of Islamic State (ISIS). Some have since sought to return following the group’s territorial defeat in 2019.
Minister Butler said the government’s position was “crystal clear” that it would not facilitate their return, although it remained legally obliged to issue passports to eligible Australian citizens.
He added that any ISIS brides returning to Australia who had committed offences would be “met with the full force of the law.”
“In some cases, their partners chose to fight for a death cult, ISIS, that is opposed to every one of the Australian values that I can think about,” he said.
“They are their own individuals over on the other side of the world. If they’re seeking to travel, they’re not doing that with our information because we’re not engaged with them.”
Around 30 women and children have been seeking to come back to Australia from detention camps in north-east Syria in recent years.
Deputy Opposition Leader Jane Hume said decisions about repatriation should remain with Australia, rejecting suggestions from the U.S. government that countries should take back their citizens residing in Syrian camps.
“We have been very clear from the beginning these people should not return to Australia and with all due respect to the U.S. we should be in charge of who it is that comes to our country,” she told Sunrise.
“We’re responsible for our borders and the security of our citizens.
“So I thank the U.S. for their advice. However, it’s up to the Australian government now to make sure that they are doing everything in their power to keep Australians safe.”
Hume has also claimed the Labor government has been “entirely inconsistent” in its handling of the ISIS brides issue.
She said ministers have publicly ruled out assisting their return, yet the government had issued passports to some individuals and not used powers such as temporary exclusion orders to restrict their entry, leaving decisions partly in the hands of overseas authorities.
The Epoch Times has contacted the Department of Home Affairs for comment.
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