Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
AAP
AAP
National
Finbar O'Mallon

Repatriated wife of IS fighter given bail

Mariam Raad was one of four women and 13 children repatriated from the Al Roj camp in Syria. (PR HANDOUT IMAGE PHOTO) (AAP)

One of the so-called Islamic State brides repatriated to Australia last year has been granted bail after being charged for remaining in IS-controlled parts of Syria.

Mariam Raad, 31, faced a local court on Friday after being arrested in the regional town of Young on Thursday.

Her bail has caused the deputy opposition Sussan Ley call the repatriated women now becoming a "whole-of-Australia problem" after being a "western Sydney issue".

Ms Ley's Liberal colleague in the NSW government, former police minister David Elliott, said he had been told repatriating the women was unsafe and called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to explain why that was no longer the case.

Raad was one of four women and 13 children repatriated from the Al Roj Internally Displaced Persons camp in northern Syria to Sydney in October.

All the women were married to IS fighters who are now dead or in jail.

Raad was charged with entering, or remaining in, "declared areas" - in this case Syria, which was under the control of the terrorist group IS - in breach of federal law.

She faces up to 10 years in jail if convicted.

Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the women posed no threat to the community but there was a "process to go through" which involved authorities.

It will be alleged in court that Raad travelled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband - Muhammad Zahab - who left Australia in 2013 and joined IS.

It will be further alleged Raad was aware of her husband's activities with IS and willingly travelled to the conflict region.

The husband, a former Sydney maths teacher who rose through the ranks of the terror outfit, is believed to have died in Syria in 2018.

Raad is due to appear at Young Local Court on March 15.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.