Australian police said a 34-year-old woman returned to the country in September alongside another woman and will appear in a Melbourne court on Thursday. She faces charges of being a member of a "terrorist" organization and entering a prohibited conflict zone.
Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Hilda Sirec said both charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.
According to Sirec, the woman traveled to Syria in 2013 or 2014, was detained by Kurdish forces in 2019, and was placed in the al-Hol camp with her family.
The case comes as several other women and children returned to Australia this month after years in the Roj camp in northeastern Syria, where families of ISIL fighters have been held since 2019 without formal legal proceedings.
Authorities said all returning adults are under investigation. "A period without charges does not mean investigations have concluded," Sirec said.
Among the recent returnees, three women face additional charges, including crimes against humanity. Police have also charged Kawsar Ahmad and Zeinab Ahmad, a mother and daughter, with offenses related to slavery. Another returnee, Janai Safar, is accused of entering a prohibited conflict zone and joining ISIL.
At its peak in 2015, ISIL controlled territory spanning Syria and Iraq roughly the size of the United Kingdom.
Authorities believe the latest group arriving in Sydney and Melbourne includes the last Australians held at the Roj camp. The repatriations have stirred political debate, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese saying the government did not support their return and warning: "If you have made your bed, you must lie in it."
Advocacy groups argue Australia must protect the right of citizens, especially children, to return, stating they should not bear responsibility for their parents' actions.
