“IS bride” Mariam Raad, 31, charged with fighting for the Islamic State after rescuing Syrian refugees

A Sydney woman has been charged just months after she was rescued from a Syrian refugee camp for reformed Islamic State fighters and eight years after she allegedly left Australia to fight with her husband for the militant group.

Mariam Raad, 31, was arrested after search warrants were issued in the rural New South Wales town of Young and the western Sydney suburb of Parklea on Thursday morning.

Police will claim Ms Raad traveled to Syria in early 2014 to join her husband Muhammed, who left Australia in 2013 to join the fight for Islamic State.

She was accused of entering and staying in parts of Syria controlled by the terrorist organization Islamic State.

Muhammad Zahab, a former Sydney math teacher, was a successful Islamic State recruiter and lured dozens of his family members to Syria before he was killed in 2018.

Police claim Ms Raad knew about her husband’s activities for the Islamic State and joined him voluntarily.

A woman has been charged with allegedly leaving the Australian coast to fight for Islamic State months after being rescued from a refugee camp

The woman was at Al Roj camp for internally displaced people in Syria before being repatriated to Australia in October 2022.

Ms Raad was arrested following a joint investigation by Australian Federal Police and the NSW Joint Counter Terrorism Team (JCTT).

In a statement, the JCTT said “newly obtained evidence” allegedly allowed them to charge the woman.

Sandra Booth, AFP deputy commissioner for counterterrorism and special investigations, said Australians returning from declared conflict zones are being screened to keep the public safe.

“People will be brought to justice when evidence supports allegations that returnees have committed crimes in conflict zones,” acting AC Booth said.

“The JCTT will continue to target criminal activity and will not target any particular ideology or belief.”

NSW Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Commander Mark Walton said the NSW JCTT will continue to protect the community from those who pose a threat.

“We have zero tolerance for Australians – or anyone – attempting to commit acts of violence or extremism and those who consider doing the wrong thing will come under our scrutiny,” Deputy Commissioner Walton said.

“Our investigators methodically gather information and evidence, conduct surveillance and work tirelessly to target criminal activity that poses a threat to the Australian community.”

Ms Raad will appear before Wagga Wagga District Court on Thursday.

If found guilty, she could spend up to ten years behind bars.

There’s more to come.