Joining ISIS to become 'jihadi brides

Dozens of Australian women 'supporting terrorism'

26 February 2015

Dozens of Australians are thought to have joined IS in Iraq and Syria

Up to 40 Australian women have taken part in terror attacks or are supporting militant groups, Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has said.

She told parliament an increasing number of women were going to Syria and Iraq to join husbands fighting with Islamic State (IS) or marry a militant.

Dozens of Australian nationals are thought to have joined IS.

Australian officials are worried about the effect of returnees, and on those who support them, on domestic security.

Ms Bishop said that women accounted for nearly one-fifth of all foreign fighters in Syria and Iraq, but that it "defied logic" that women would join groups such as IS.

"If the killings and executions aren't enough, Daesh (IS) has published instructions on the treatment of sexual slaves which includes raping and beating women," she said, as quoted in ABC News.

"Even children are not immune with instructions encouraging sexual assault on girls who've not yet reached puberty."

Ms Bishop called for family and friends to reach out to vulnerable young people to prevent them from being radicalised.

Growing threat

Meanwhile an Australian man fighting with Kurdish militants against IS is believed to have been been killed in northern Syria.

The UK-based Syrian Observatory said the man died on Tuesday in an IS attack on the YPG militia (Kurdish People's Protection Units).

Observatory director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP news agency: "The YPG isn't actively recruiting foreigners, but people from countries like Canada, the United States, Britain, Spain, Australia, Holland, Austria and France have travelled to Syria to join their ranks."

An Australian fighting with Kurdish forces against IS was killed on Tuesday

On Monday Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced a push to toughen citizenship laws in an attempt to target domestic extremists.

"Australians who take up arms with terrorist groups, especially while Australian military personnel are engaged in Afghanistan and Iraq, have sided against our country and should be treated accordingly," he said.

For dual nationals, this means revoking or suspending citizenship. He added that people born in Australia could also lose some privileges if they broke anti-terror laws.

Austrailian girls joining ISIS to become 'jihadi brides'

February 26, 2015,

Sydney- A worrying number of Australian women are heading to Iraq and Syria to become so-called Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) group “jihadi brides,” Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said Thursday, warning against notions of a "romantic adventure".

At least 110 Australians have left to fight alongside militants in the Middle East and security officials said between 30 and 40 women were among them or were actively supporting the group in Australia.

"Sadly we are seeing a younger cohort seeking to join the conflict in Syria and Iraq and an increasing number of young females," Bishop said, responding to the high-profile case this week of three British teenage girls heading to Syria.

"This defies logic. Family and friends need to reach out to young people at risk before it's too late."

She cited the case of 22-year-old Amira Karroum who left her Sydney home just before Christmas and died in fighting in Syria.

"Her death was not martyrdom, it was a tragic senseless loss," said Bishop.

She added that many women heading to conflict zones were either attracted to male foreign terrorist fighters, were accompanying their partner, or actually looking for a husband and being told online they could find one in Syria and Iraq.

Bishop warned they faced a brutal regime that treated women appallingly.

"This is a terrorist organisation that has an appalling track record when it comes to women," she told ABC radio.

"They actually have online instructions on how to treat a sex slave. They encourage sexual assault on children who haven't even reached puberty.

"So their attitude towards women is utterly appalling and so young women shouldn't be led to believe that there's some romantic adventure attached to supporting Daesh (Islamic State) and similar terrorist organisations."

An estimated 550 women from across Europe have also travelled to join the jihadists and Bishop said Australia was working with Muslim communities to highlight the risks.

"We have a number of community initiatives and programmes, working with local communities, working with schools, working with families," she said.

"Our initiatives in tackling the spread of online extremist content on websites is also part of that, working with local mosques, working with community groups."

Her comments came as an Australian man who travelled to Syria to battle militants was reportedly killed -- the first Westerner to die fighting alongside the Kurds.

"An Australian man was killed in an assault on Tuesday by the Islamic State against a position of the Kurdish People's Protection Units (YPG) near Tal Hamis in Hasakeh province," said Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman.

Australia's foreign affairs department said it was aware of the reports but its "capacity to confirm reports of deaths in either Syria or Iraq is extremely limited".

"Australians who become involved in overseas conflicts are putting their own lives in mortal danger," it added.