An Australian woman faces serious charges after being accused of affiliating with the Islamic State group during her time in Syria. The legal proceedings against her are unfolding in Melbourne, shedding light on the broader issues surrounding individuals returning from conflict zones.
Rayann El Houli, a 34-year-old mother of four, was detained at her residence in Melbourne following her arrival back in Australia from Lebanon. Her return, accompanied by her children and another woman, took place eight months prior to her arrest. This event occurred shortly after a group of seven women and twelve children associated with IS were repatriated to Australia from a refugee camp in Syria, despite governmental opposition. In similar circumstances, four women and nine children recently returned from the Roj camp, located near the Syrian-Turkish-Iraqi border.
Upon the return of these women, three were immediately charged with offenses related to slavery and terrorism, and they remain in custody. The Australian Federal Police continue to investigate all individuals arriving from Syria in these recent repatriations, including another woman who traveled with El Houli.
During a court appearance in Melbourne, El Houli, wearing a black niqab, faced charges of entering a declared conflict zone and joining a terrorist organization, both of which carry potential sentences of up to 10 years in prison. Her legal representative, Peter Morrissey, emphasized the urgency of her bail application, citing her PTSD and the need to reunite with her children. “The children are doing well in school, in (sports) programs, doing everything as best they can,” Morrissey stated. He also noted, “They, too, have come from the camps and that’s the reason for the haste.”
Authorities allege that El Houli traveled to Syria between 2013 and 2014 to join IS, and was subsequently captured with her family by Kurdish forces in March 2019 following IS’s defeat. She was placed in the al-Hol camp for displaced people before her return to Australia on September 26.
In a related case, Janai Safar from Sydney was charged with similar crimes after arriving in Australia with her young son earlier in May. Safar, who allegedly followed her IS-affiliated partner to Syria in 2015, was denied bail and must remain in custody. Her partner reportedly died in 2017. During this period, Australia had established a ban on travel to Raqqa, a key IS stronghold, without legitimate reasons.
Two other women, Kawsar Ahmed and her daughter Zeinab Ahmed, were charged over accusations involving the purchase of a Yazidi slave in Syria. Their bail applications are scheduled for the coming weeks.
