IS Fighter’s Children Won’t Receive Special Treatment In Australia, His Elder Son Was Once Photographed With A Severed Head
The family of an Australian Islamic State (IS) fighter would face the Australian law in full severity should they return home from the Middle East, said Prime Minister Tony Abbott.
As the news broke about an Islamic State fighter's wife and their five children are seeking to return to Australia, Mr. Abbott said there would be no leniency shown towards them, because in his words, "crime is crime is crime."
Fairfax Media revealed that the IS fighter Khaled Sharrouf's wife Tara Nettleton and their children’s intention to return to Australia.
Sharrouf's seven-year-old son was reportedly photographed last year holding a severed head.
Mr. Abbott said no returning fighter should be allowed to help the authorities on pretext of stopping others against going abroad. They should be allowed to do so only after being punished duly.
"I'm absolutely delighted when a criminal comes out of jail, reformed and rehabilitated, for that criminal or former criminal to go and spread a message of obeying the law to others," Mr. Abbott said.
"But I'm afraid you don't get off scot-free just because you say 'oh I've seen the error of my ways'.
Pumping Money Into Terrorism
Mr. Abbott's comments were a reaction to a United Nations report revealing how Sharrouf and his immediate family is supporting the Islamic State group. The report found that a money transfer business owned by his sister and brother-in-law had been funding terrorism outside the country.
Mr. Abbott clarified saying, Sharrouf's children won’t receive any special treatments upon their arrival. "The children of these particular criminals will be dealt with in the same way the children of criminals are normally dealt with," he confirmed.
Daddy's Little Girl
Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton said authorities would handle each case individually after analysing all the important aspects.
Meanwhile, the IS fighter’s father-in-law Peter Nettleton told local media that he had not seen his daughter Tara for almost 10 years and had only met two of the five grandchildren. He added that he still loves his daughter and hopes see her return home safely.
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