Australian Mother and Daughter Charged with Slavery in Syria Under ISIS

Two Australian women charged with slavery offenses allegedly committed while living under Islamic State rule in Syria appeared in a Melbourne court.

Kawsar Ahmad, 53, also known as Abbas, and her daughter Zeinab Ahmad, 31, were arrested Thursday by officers from the Victorian joint counter-terrorism team at Melbourne airport.

Police allege the pair traveled to Syria in 2014 with their family and knowingly kept an enslaved woman in their home. They further claim Kawsar was complicit in buying an enslaved woman for $10,000.

The women appeared Monday before Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan. The Melbourne Magistrates Court heard they would not seek bail, as indicated Friday.

Zeinab is due to apply for bail at a hearing on June 4, while Kawsar’s application is set for June 16, the court heard.

Kawsar’s lawyer, Peter Morrissey SC, told the court he expected “other issues” to arise in Zeinab’s application, and their handling would affect his client’s bid.

Neither woman spoke or entered a plea during the brief hearing before remand in custody.

The Australian Federal Police will argue the offenses were terrorism-related and plans to oppose bail.

Court documents released Friday show Kawsar is accused of intentionally exercising “any or all of the powers attaching to the right of ownership” over a person, in circumstances “where the conduct was committed intentionally or knowingly as part of a widespread or systemic attack directed against a civilian population.”

She also faces a charge of intentionally exercising powers attaching to ownership regarding the use and possession of a slave. Zeinab faces the same two charges.

The offenses allegedly took place between June 1, 2017, and November 1, 2018, at Mayadin, Hajim, Gharanij, Bahra, Abu Hamam, Walaa and other locations in Deir ez-Zor province in eastern Syria.

On or about June 1, 2017, in Mayadin or elsewhere in the province, Kawsar Ahmad also faces a charge of intentionally engaging in slave trading.