Australian woman arrested for entering IS area in Syria

A woman has been arrested in Sydney on charges of entering and remaining in areas of Syria controlled by Islamic State.

31-year-old Mariam Raad was arrested on Thursday by Federal and New South Wales state police from the Joint Counter Terrorism Team. The arrest followed searches in the Sydney suburb of Parklea and Young, a town about 270 km away.

It is alleged Raad willingly travelled to Syria in 2014 to join her husband, who was a member of Islamic State. Her husband is believed to have died in 2018 in Syria.

Under Australian law, it is an offence to enter and remain in areas where the government has declared "a listed terrorist organisation is engaging in a hostile activity".

Raad returned from the Al Roj refugee camp in Syria to Australia in October last year.

Australian Federal Police Acting Assistant Commissioner Counter Terrorism and Special Investigations Command Sandra Booth said in a statement: "Individuals will be brought before the courts when evidence supports allegations that returned individuals have committed offences in conflict areas."

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