The group consists of twelve children and seven women who were previously held in a Syrian camp. Most of them left Australia more than a decade ago or were born in Syria or Iraq after their parents traveled to the so-called caliphate of the Islamic State. The return comes after seven years of detention.
Tony Burke said on Tuesday morning that security agencies had been preparing for the return since 2014 and had “long-standing plans to monitor and control them.” Burke stated: “These are people who made the terrible choice to join a dangerous terrorist organization and bring their children into an unspeakable situation.” He emphasized that any member of the group who had committed crimes would face the full force of the law.
The women and children were detained after the military defeat of IS in Syria. Australia had long refused to repatriate citizens from the camps but changed its policy under the current government. The return is taking place in several stages; an earlier group had already arrived.
Source: www.theguardian.com
