AFP Commissioner Krissy Barrett: Budget Estimates Opening Statement
Good afternoon.
Operation Howth is a Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team investigation into a man and two women who travelled to Syria between 2013 and 2014 to allegedly join ISIS.
On the 26th September last year, the two women and their children returned to Australia from the al-Hawl internally displaced persons camp in Syria. The male is believed to be incarcerated in a Middle East prison.
On their return, the Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions determined there was insufficient evidence to charge the two women.
Off the back of that advice, the Victorian Joint Counter Terrorism Team, which includes Victoria Police, the AFP and ASIO, continued Operation Howth while the returnees resettled in Australia.
That domestic eight-month investigation, plus the recent return of four women and their children from Syria three weeks ago, has collected new relevant evidence for Operation Howth.
That new evidence has enabled a number of search warrants to be executed today at homes in Broadmeadows and Fitzroy North in Victoria.
One woman, aged 34, was today charged with:
- Entering, or remaining in, declared area, and
- Being a member of a terrorist organization
She has appeared before Melbourne Magistrates Court today.
Since 2019, seven men and three women have been charged with foreign incursion and terrorism-related offences.
A further two women have been charges with crimes against humanity and slavery offences relating to alleged incidents while in Syria.
That includes the three alleged female offenders who were charged on arrival in Sydney and Melbourne on 7 May this year.
One 54-year-old Victorian woman was charged with:
- Crimes against humanity - enslavement
- Possess a Slave
- Use a Slave, and
- Engagement slave trading – purchase.
These offences each carry a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment.
This woman remains in custody. Her next court appearance is scheduled for 16 June this year.
The 31-year-old woman also arrested in Victoria on 7 May was charged with:
- Crimes Against Humanity – Enslavement
- Use a slave.
Both offences carry a maximum penalty of 25 years’ imprisonment.
The woman remains in custody. Her next court appearance is scheduled for 4 June this year.
The 32-year-old woman who arrived in Sydney on 7 May was charged with:
- Entering, or remaining in, declared areas, and
- Being a member of a terrorist organisation.
Both offences carry a maximum penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment.
This woman remains in custody. Her next court appearance is scheduled for 15 July this year.
Given these matters are now before the courts, we will be limited in providing further detail today.
However, I am sending three clear messages.
1: The AFP and our partners are experienced in investigating complex crimes and are deeply dedicated to community safety;
2: Alleged witnesses and alleged victims can still come forward to assist in our investigations; and,
3: Those who have returned from internally displaced persons camp in Syria are subject to a range of investigative strategies and will be held account if they are found to have breached Australian laws.
Any perceived delay in charges does not indicate investigations have ceased. Today’s arrest and charge is a case in point.
Furthermore, today I will reveal there are eight separate Joint Counter Terrorism Team investigations into the families who have returned from camps in Syria.
They are:
Operation HAWARDEN – STILLORGAN
Operation HAWARDEN – ARENDSNEST
Operation BOSSENSTEIN
Operation DUDELANGE
Operation BALVENIE
Operation KILGOBBIN
Operation GRAVENHOFF and
Operation RHOON
To preserve the integrity of these operations, we will be limited on any further detail that we can provide today.
Thank you.