Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
London, SANA- The British Daily Telegraph newspaper revealed on Sunday that an Australian teenager and a 20-year-old woman have become the first Australian women to flee to Syria to become terrorists’ brides.
Hodan, 18 and her friend Hafsa, 20, flew out of Sydney in the past fortnight after having lied to their families about where they were going, according to the newspaper.
The girls risk a 10 year jail sentence if they travel to areas which are considered the strongholds of the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq “ISIS” terrorist organization.
Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop was quoted by the newspaper as saying that the government is needed to work closely with communities and families, who are the “first line of defense”.
“They’ll be the ones that can detect changes in behavior or determine what their children are up to,” she said.
“They are seemingly young Australians who think they are going off on an adventure – well, they’re not. They’re joining terrorist organizations that are carrying out shockingly brutal attacks.”
Many girls meet their prospective husbands via the website Ask.fm, where young terrorists tell the world about their terror actions.
A British woman who monitors the site told The Times of London: “I’d say 90 per cent of the Ask.fm messages to these men are marriage proposals. It’s ‘You’re so attractive. Will you marry me if I come to Syria?’
Australian Attorney General George Brandis told the Daily Telegraph that families were now on the frontline of authorities’ hopes of stopping young Australians from travelling to the region.
“Families should tell any family members or friends over there not to engage in any fighting and to leave Syria or Iraq as soon as possible. Leaving the region is the best way to reduce the potential dangers to themselves and others,’’ he said.
R.al-Jazaeri/ Ghossoun
