SYDNEY (Reuters) – Australian police on Thursday arrested a woman for entering and staying in areas under Islamic State control in Syria, just over two months after authorities returned 17 relatives of group members from Syria who died or imprisoned.
Maryam Raad, 31, was arrested by the Federal and New South Wales State Police, part of the joint counter-terrorism team, after searches in Barclay, a suburb of Sydney, and in the town of Young, about 270km southwest of the city .
Police said in a statement that there was no threat to the community.
“Individuals will be taken to court when evidence supports allegations that returnees committed crimes in conflict areas,” said Sandra Booth, acting assistant commissioner for counterterrorism and the federal police’s Special Investigations Command.
Police say Raad voluntarily traveled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband, who was a member of the militant group, and is fully aware of his activities. Police said her husband is believed to have died in Syria in 2018.
Australian law makes it a criminal offense to enter and stay in areas designated by the government as a “designated terrorist organization engaged in hostile activity”. This crime is punished with up to ten years’ imprisonment.
Court officials told Reuters details of Raad’s legal representative would be released soon.
One case was recorded in court documents as Maryam Raad on Thursday in Wagga Wagga, a town 380km southwest of Sydney. Police said they will appear in court via video link.
The police statement showed Raad returned to Australia in October last year from Roj refugee camp in Syria. It was the same month that 17 women and children associated with dead or imprisoned Islamic State fighters were brought back from the camp.
Police did not confirm whether Raad was among the returnees, but media reported that he was.
Police said the investigation began while Raad was in Syria and continued after she returned to Australia, with new evidence being gathered leading to allegations against her.
