A Qatar Airways flight has touched down at Melbourne’s Tullamarine Airport, transporting women associated with ISIS fighters and their children.
The aircraft arrived in Melbourne around 5:30 p.m., closely followed by another flight at Sydney’s International Airport carrying a different woman linked to ISIS, which landed at approximately 5:45 p.m.
Before the planes arrived, a significant number of people, likely family members and friends, gathered at both Melbourne and Sydney airports in anticipation of their arrival.
Around a dozen men, dressed in black and equipped with body-worn cameras, were present in Melbourne. These individuals are believed to be part of the escort team assigned to accompany the women and children.
There is uncertainty among supporters regarding how many individuals from the group will clear customs, as authorities have indicated that some might face charges.
As of 7 p.m., none of the passengers who landed in Melbourne had exited the customs area to the public side of the airport.
The cohort consists of four Australian women – grandmother Kawsar Abbas, 54, her two daughters Zahra Ahmad, 33, and former Sydney nursing student Zeinab Ahmed, 31, Janai Safar – and their nine children.
Kawsar and her family will land on Melbourne on Thursday on a Qatar Airway flight via Doha. She is accompanied by her brother, boxing coach Abraham Abbas.
The flight carrying ISIS brides and children touching down in Melbourne
Australian Federal Police at Melbourne Airport
Officers patrolling Melbourne International Airport on Thursday night
It’s understood Kawsar and one of her two adult daughters will be arrested upon arrival and charged over serious allegations made by two women from the Yazidi community in Syria, The Australian reports.
Safar and her son were reportedly taken to Mascot Police Station after landing at Sydney Airport.
The group of 13 left Al Roj camp two weeks ago. All of the women and children are Australian citizens and hold Australian passports.
It’s understood 21 Australians still remain in the camp, in north-eastern Syria.
Lina Giralda, who was sat near Janai Safar on board, said she was shocked when a group of police officers came on board one the plane had landed.
She said it was ‘scary’ to know she was sat near Safar.
She said there was no reaction from Safar, her son and a man travelling with them when police came to escort her off the plane.
The passengers had to wait a few minutes for the group to leave the plane before they could disembark.
Security guards prepared for the arrival of the group from Syria
Reporters ready to capture the group’s arrival
She said the group didn’t really say much and kept to themselves during the flight.
Another passenger who was on the plane that landed in Sydney said there were ‘five or six’ AFP officers that boarded the flight and tapped the group on the shoulder.
‘They were seated near me. We had some general chit chat, they seemed nice people,’ they said.
‘Then they were taken off by police.’
He said there was no announcement about what was going on by the plane crew to passengers.
Australian Federal Police Commissioner Krissy Barrett said evidence collected since 2015 was used to determine whether the women breached Commonwealth laws, including ‘humanity offences such as engaging in slave trading’.
‘Some individuals will be arrested and charged, some will face continued investigations when they arrive in Australia,’ Ms Barrett said on Wednesday.
If the case went to court it would mark the first time any Australian citizen had been prosecuted for the crimes under domestic law.
Officers at Melbourne International Airport
ABC News reporter Bridget Rollason spoke to some of the women at Doha Airport while they were in transit.
‘One woman told me she missed lattes most of all and was looking forward to having a coffee on Collins Street in Melbourne,’ she said.
‘They told me they were really looking forward to getting back to Melbourne and said they missed Australia.
‘Some of the children even had Australian accents, despite being born in Syria.
‘When we spoke to the women, they appeared excited about returning home.
‘We asked how they felt about potentially being arrested, but they declined to comment. One of their uncles told us to stop filming and stop speaking to them. We were only able to have a brief conversation before they boarded the flight.’
More to come…
