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Australian Woman Held in Custody on Charges of Travelling to Syria to Join Islamic State Group
On Tuesday, May 26, the second group of women and children linked to the Islamic State arrived in Sydney and Melbourne after years of detention in Syria's al-Roj camp.
These returnees fled the camp following the 2019 Islamic State caliphate collapse, sparking political debate as Opposition Leader Angus Taylor accused the government of "rolling out the welcome mat" for citizens who turned their backs on Australia.
On Thursday, Australian Federal Police charged 34-year-old Rayann El Houli with terrorism offenses, alleging she traveled to Syria between 2013 and 2014 to join the Islamic State before returning last September.
Border authorities prevented 30-year-old Hodan Abby from boarding a flight in Damascus on Monday, enforcing a Temporary Exclusion Order issued by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke on national security grounds.
Investigations remain ongoing under Operation Kurrajong, with authorities emphasizing that no arrests upon the latest cohort's arrival does not indicate inquiries have ceased.