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Work by intelligence and law enforcement agencies is “ongoing” after a second round of women and children linked to ISIS fighters arrived back in Australia, a Senate estimates hearing has been told.
Seven women and 12 children – all Australian citizens – touched down in Sydney and Melbourne airports from Syria on Tuesday.
The group fled the al-Roj internment camp in Syria’s northeast last week. They had been detained in the desert facility since the fall of the so-called ISIS caliphate in 2019.
No arrests were made upon the cohort’s arrival in Australia.
However, a Senate estimates hearing on Wednesday was told “activities in both law enforcement and intelligence agencies are ongoing” concerning the group under questioning from Liberal senator Jonno Duniam.
Department of Home Affairs secretary Stephanie Foster said the agency “played a role” in ensuring there was a plan in place for the group’s arrival.
“But, the actual execution of that plan is done primarily by the state and territory law enforcement agencies, and obviously any activities that they have to do in ASIO to supplement that,” she said.
The department would continue to support state and territory governments through funding for Countering Violent Extremism programs in regard to the children, Home Affairs counter-terrorism co-ordinator Brendan Dowling said.
“So, generally speaking, there will be a case management approach,” he said.
“There will be broad consideration of the types of engagement that will need to happen, but it’s not a static plan.”
Next steps might include referrals to appropriate health care and understanding what support there is from family members and schools and counselling, Mr Dowling said.
Asked later about the cohort during question time, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke noted a number had been charged from the previous arrival.
“No one should presume that, at any point in time, the work of the Australian Federal Police, in terms of investigating and gathering evidence, is over,” he said.
No answer to NSW
The hearing was told after the lunch break that NSW had sought additional funding for the “reintegration” of the first cohort of so-called ISIS brides in late April.
However, the correspondence was not answered, the hearing was told, and came as Mr Dowling took over the role of counter-terrorism co-ordinator.
“We have not changed our position at the commonwealth level that we do not provide specific support in relation to any individuals,” he said.
“So we have not provided any further support to those, the specific requests that NSW made for those people who were returning. But, the request was made.”
Mr Dowling said officials were not able to locate a formal response, and he believed the department had not formally written to decline the request.
“I would suggest it’s not necessarily a surprise because it’s consistent with our standing position, but you’re right in that we have not communicated that to them,” he told Senator Duniam.
Ms Foster later clarified that she had yet to make a determination about the request.
“All I’m saying is the answer has not been determined, and it won’t be until I’ve had a chance to consider all of the facts,” she told the hearing.
From 2025-28, the NSW government will receive $15.42m for those programs, while Victoria will receive $16.28m.
Those funds were not provided on the basis of individual cases, the hearing was told.
Mr Dowling said there was “a sense from the jurisdictions” that they would need continued funding and they had made representations, with more people being radicalised more quickly.
‘Difficult issue’
Four women and nine children also returned to Australia from Syria earlier in May.
Three of those women were arrested and charged by the Australian Federal Police upon arrival at Melbourne and Sydney airports.
On Wednesday, Housing Minister Clare O’Neil was asked about the cohort’s return and whether they posed a risk to Australians.
In her answer, she deferred to the role of national security agencies in observing the group before pointing out: “This is a difficult issue and a long running issue for the country.”
The question was put to her repeatedly by Today host Sarah Abo, but Ms O’Neil insisted the Albanese government had made it clear it had no sympathy for the group.
She pointed to the return of previous cohorts under the Morrison government and said efforts to “legislate the problem away” had been unsuccessful.
“We have to trust our national security agencies,” she said.
“We have some of the best national security agencies in the world supporting us and keeping us safe.
“And they are watching this situation very closely.”
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor, asked about the group’s arrival, later accused the government of “rolling out the welcome mat for people who (had) turned their backs” on Australia.
The government has repeatedly refused to offer any assistance to ISIS-linked Australians previously trapped in Syria, including efforts to repatriate the cohort.
But it could not stop the group of Australian citizens from being provided passports, which they received earlier this year through intermediary Jamal Rifi, a prominent Sydney doctor.
Dr Rifi has been a prominent advocate for the women and children’s repatriation.
“What they have done is not known to anyone in Australia except to our security agency and AFP who have monitored them,” Dr Rifi told the ABC’s 7.30 on Tuesday.
He said he believed it was safer for the children to return to Australia now, instead of remaining in northeastern Syria, where they could grow up in the presence of radicalised individuals.
One Australian woman who was part of the cohort living in al-Roj has been issued with a temporary exclusion order (TEO) by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on the advice of ASIO.
It bans her from returning to the country for up to two years on the grounds of national security. NewsWire understands this woman remains in Syria.
She was refused access to a flight with the rest of the second cohort from Damascus despite acquiring plane tickets. Her child, to whom the TEO doesn’t apply, remains with her.
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