<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The father of a so-called ISIS bride who was among the group of women and children with alleged links to the terror group that returned to Australia last night has said that his daughter made a mistake but should not face charges from local authorities.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Zakaria Zahab, the father of Nesrine Zahab, expressed his relief and gratitude that his daughter was reunited with family at their home in Sydney's south west in time to celebrate Eid.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I thank [the] Australian government very much, it is the best country in the world," he told 9News.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/ken-paxton-john-cornyn-texas-primary-senate-election-results-james-talarico-us-politics-news/30df77e4-6968-41dd-bdf7-7abe24e83ea3" target="_blank"><strong><span>Trump's handpicked candidate may cost his party their most important state</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>In 2014, aged 21, Nesrine Zahab arrived in Turkey.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>She maintains she was in the nation for humanitarian purposes, trying to help Syrian refugees, but was caught up in Islamic State-controlled territory, and was married to an ISIS fighter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her father said she should not face any charges.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/when-you-are-young-you-do-so-many-mistakes-father-of-isis-bride-says-she-made-a-mistake-as-second-cohort-touched-down-last-night/ef2e7855-ec92-493a-80d6-3e72f0568000" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"When you are young, you do so many mistakes, you don't get charged [for] those mistakes," Zakariah told 9News.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This is not the end of your life because you've done that mistake, you restart again."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Nesrine was part of a group of women with alleged links to the Islamic State who arrived in Australia last night.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Two other women who arrived in Sydney are also part of the Zahab family.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her father said, "of course", he is worried that she will be charged like some other women who arrived in Australia earlier this month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"We trust the government, and we trust the process," Nesrine's brother, Mohamad Zahab, told 9News.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"If my sister or any of the other sisters have done anything wrong, then they will be faced with the full force of the law."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world/nasa-signals-plans-for-first-moon-base/dc2a5d5d-76cf-45ee-9372-38af8a582785" target="_blank"><strong><span>NASA unveils plans to send humans back to the moon before Trump's presidency ends in 2028</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Her family has said that she now hopes to return to studying as a social worker.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"She loves helping people," Mohamad said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>Second group of 'ISIS brides' touches down</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A group of four women and their children arrived at Sydney Airport just after 5.30pm yesterday, having left the Al-Roj refugee camp late last week and travelled via Damascus.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Another group of two women and their children arrived at Melbourne Airport about 4.30pm.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/australia-weather-update-rain-forecast-for-every-state-and-territory/4e67a7dc-86e5-4663-8390-faca0e100a41" target="_blank"><strong><span>Rain to soak every state as multiple low-pressure systems collide</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Counter-terrorism police searched the groups' belongings and downloaded information from their devices "for investigative purposes".</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"No one arriving within this cohort has been charged, however, investigations into the activities of Australians who travelled to Syria, including those who have since returned, are ongoing," the NSW and Victoria Joint Counter Terrorism Teams said in a statement.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Police and the JCTTs will continue to engage with relevant stakeholders to ensure community safety is upheld.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The safety of our communities remains a priority for all agencies."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Domestic charges were </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/melbourne-isis-brides-bail-application-islamic-state-return-to-australia/ce833ea1-4aee-4d5a-86b6-7713129a5e7b" rel="" target="_blank" title="laid against three Islamic State-linked brides"><span>laid against three Islamic State-linked brides</span></a><span> who landed in Australia earlier this month.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One bride from the group that arrived was left behind after she was subjected to a temporary exclusion order.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>An exclusion order bans a person from entering Australia for two years on national security grounds, even if they are an Australian citizen.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>It is understood there are very few, if any, Australians left in the Al-Roj refugee camp.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The federal government has insisted it has not assisted any of the women in their repatriation and said security agencies have been preparing for their return since 2014 and have plans in place to "manage and monitor" them.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/child-found-dead-lowood-home-ipswich-brisbane/8f64aba5-0a44-4d5a-b001-8ad3a15499db" target="_blank"><strong><span>Homicide investigation launched after child found dead in home west of Brisbane</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"I have nothing but contempt for anyone who has any sympathy for ISIS," Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said yesterday.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Any breaches of the law will mean these people will face the full force of the law."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The cost of monitoring and rehabilitating the returning citizens and their families </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/isis-brides-australia-costs-two-million-taxpayer-bill-monitoring-rehabilitation-welfare-explained/1cc42ff2-b3dc-415c-810e-7a75327b46b9" rel="" target="" title="could be as high as $2 million per year."><span>could be as high as $2 million per year.</span></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The government has not and will not provide any assistance to this group," a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) spokesperson said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"These are people who have made the horrific choice to join a dangerous terrorist organisation and to place their children in an unspeakable situation.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"The priority of the government, as always, is the safety of the Australian community."</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><h3><span>The arrival of the first cohort</span></h3></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The earlier cohort of four women and nine children arrived back in Australia earlier in May after leaving the same camp in Syria.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/jim-chalmers-flags-new-tax-cuts-for-next-election/f1d5876f-8eb6-4807-9220-a18c5b3d2c65" target="_blank"><strong><span>Chalmers flags bigger tax cuts for next election</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>One of the women was arrested and charged with terror offences, including charges of entering a prohibited area and being a member of a terrorist organisation, after arriving in Sydney.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>A further two women were arrested in Melbourne and charged with slavery offences allegedly committed during their time in Syria. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The brides who followed their ISIS partners to Syria more than a decade ago have faced a long journey in their return to Australia.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The women and their children have been held in refugee camps in north-eastern Syria for years, following the collapse of ISIS, and recently failed in an attempt to leave the camp for Australia earlier this year.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Australia repatriated two other groups of women and children who were living in the Al Roj camp in 2019 and 2022.</span></div></div>