Authorities in Australia said on Wednesday that 13 Australians linked to alleged members of the extremist “Islamic State” (IS) group are planning to return home from Syria.
The returnees include four women and nine children, who were living in Syria’s Rose camp.
They are expected to arrive at Sydney and Melbourne airports on Thursday, according to local media reports.
Australia warned of arrest
Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said the group would receive no government support.
“He made a terrible, disgraceful decision,” Burke told the media. He said he received an alert when the group’s travel booking was made.
“The complete lack of support from the government for these individuals is a direct reflection of the decisions they have taken,” he said.
Australia’s Federal Police Commissioner Chrissie Barrett said some individuals would face arrest and criminal charges upon arrival.
Others may remain under investigation, while children will be placed in community reintegration and support programs.
Police said they collected evidence in Syria as they investigated whether the Australians had committed crimes under Australian law, including traveling to a prohibited area and involvement in the slave trade.
Australia is preparing for those returning from ‘IS’
Between 2012 and 2016, some Australian women traveled to Syria to join their husbands who had become members of “IS”.
Australian media reports said that after the fall of the so-called caliphate in 2019, many of them were detained in camps, while some returned home.
Burke said there were “very serious limits” on what authorities could do to prevent Australian citizens from re-entering the country.
Australian officials have been bracing themselves for such a return for more than a decade.
The minister said law enforcement and intelligence agencies have maintained contingency plans since 2014 to control people associated with extremist groups.
Edited by: Dmytro Lyubenko