- A woman linked to the IS militant group attempted to board a flight to Australia with other departing families.
- She attempted to board the flight despite having been issued a temporary exclusion order.
A woman linked to the Islamic State militant group who was barred from returning to Australia still tried to make the journey home with others tied to the group.
Hodan Abby had been issued a temporary exclusion order some months ago, according to reports.
But that did not stop her from attempting to board a flight from Damascus in Syria as part of a group of IS-linked women and children, who landed in Australia on Tuesday night.
Though she made it to the Syrian airport, she was ultimately prevented from getting on the plane, Australian Border Force commissioner Gavan Reynolds told Senate Estimates on Wednesday.
“They came to the airport, attempted to board and the system kicked in and prevented them from board,” he said.
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
When passengers check in for an international flight to Australia, their legal ability to enter the country is verified through a system, Home Affairs counter-terrorism co-ordinator Brendan Dowling explained.
If there is a travel restriction in place, like a temporary exclusion order, the check-in desk will receive a ‘do not board’ response from Australia’s border operation centre.
The airline would then contact the centre to confirm the message and the individual would not be allowed onto the aircraft.
The other women and children who boarded the flight arrived in Sydney and Melbourne on Tuesday after years at a refugee camp in northern Syria for families of killed or detained members of the Islamic State group.
No arrests have so far been made for this group but investigations are continuing and they are under police monitoring.
Two women and their children were met by a sizeable media pack after touching down in Melbourne shortly after 4.30pm on Tuesday.
Another four women and their children later arrived at Sydney Airport, where they were taken out a back entrance, avoiding waiting media.
They have been offered access to assistance from the Department of Communities and Justice, as has been the case with past repatriations.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor said the federal government had used third parties to hide behind “support” for the women.
“The government’s rolled out the welcome mat to people who have turned their backs on our country and our values,” he told reporters.
Home Affairs does not provide specific funding support in relation to individuals despite a request being made by the NSW government ahead of the return of the women and their children.
READ MORE
Their arrival has bred fresh warnings about youth radicalisation, with Dowling noting more people were being radicalised more quickly.
He said states and territories were likely to need more funding to educate young people who were sympathetic to radical ideals.
The group originally travelled to the Middle East with men who sought to fight for Islamic State before the caliphate was toppled in 2019.
For the latest from SBS News, download our app and subscribe to our newsletter.