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October 7, 2025
Anthony Albanese insists ISIS brides who smuggled themselves out of Syria and returned to Australia were not assisted by the federal government.
The Prime Minister said the Australian citizens, including women who originally travelled to the Middle East to marry ISIS fighters, had the "right" to enter the country, but he denied any Commonwealth involvement in their reported return.
The Coalition has criticised Labor for not using powers available to the government to "temporarily exclude" Australians from entering the country if they had associated with a terrorist organisation.
It was revealed on Friday six people, including the wives of ISIS fighters, had recently returned to Australian shores from Syrian detention camps.
The group had made their way to Beirut where they were processed by Lebanese agencies and allegedly underwent comprehensive security checks and DNA testing by Australian authorities before being issued passports as confirmed Australian citizens.
Last month, Mr Albanese had rejected reports the government was assisting any women or children associated with ISIS to return to Australia from Syria.
When asked about the situation on Monday, the PM said as citizens the group "have the right to enter Australia".
"Australia did not provide assistance," he said.
But Coalition acting home affairs spokesman James Paterson said the government was "complicit" with the return of the ISIS brides to Australia.
"The parliament has given the government the power to temporarily exclude someone from Australia if they've had an association with a terrorist organisation, and it does not appear the government used those powers in this instance, and they should explain why they haven't done," he said.
Mr Paterson said the children of these women must have obtained citizenship before boarding their flights, which suggested the government had at least provided assistance, adding: "They should stop misleading the public about that."