Three women linked to Islamic State arrested on return to Australia from Syria
Australian federal police arrested three women repatriated from camps in Syria, charging them with offences linked to membership of the Islamic State group. The operation is part of the government's phased programme to bring back nationals still held in those camps.
A police spokesperson said the women were detained on arrival at Sydney airport because they had spent years in IS-controlled areas of Syria. Their children have been placed in the care of child protection services.
Cabinet has previously drawn up a dedicated prosecutorial framework for citizens left over from the IS era. Rights groups want the process kept transparent, while the opposition argues that bringing back people still held in the camps creates a security gap.
The arrests come as Australia's wider domestic security debate flares again. Officials said investigations are proceeding under confidentiality and that further arrests cannot be ruled out.
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