Praise for Govt’s approach to case of Islamic State mum
A law expert says police have the power under terrorism laws to seek to have strict monitoring conditions imposed on an alleged Islamic State terrorist set to be deported from Turkey.
Suhayra Aden and her two children were detained at the Turkish border while trying to enter from Syria last week. Turkey has since dropped charges against Aden and has begun procedures to deport her.
A Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokeswoman would not comment yesterday when asked whether the 26-year-old was being returned to New Zealand. The prime minister’s office also refused to comment.
Waikato University international law professor Alexander Gillespie praised the New Zealand Government’s handling of the situation despite the lack of details being released.
‘‘They’ve done an excellent job.’’
He said that if Aden was deported to New Zealand, officials would first need to find out what evidence there was against her, as a whole raft of terror-related crimes might be alleged.
She would then most likely be dealt with under the Terrorism Suppression (Control Orders) Act, which allows police to apply to the High Court to impose control orders such as electronic monitoring, travel restrictions and contact with others.
‘‘Once she ends up at the border she has a right as a New Zealander to enter the country but as soon as she comes in you can bring her to account and bring her to justice, which I think will happen,’’ Gillespie said
Ultimately the Government needed to consider the best interest of Aden’s two children.
Gillespie believed this could be achieved by dealing with it within New Zealand rather than in a Turkish institution, which he said have ‘‘very poor standards’’.
‘‘We’ve got to create a situation where those kids can land and be reintegrated into New Zealand society as easily as possible so we can give them the best chance of growing up in a liberal democracy.’’
He said the way the situation had played out so far makes the Australia Government look ‘‘not so great’’.
‘‘Because the Australians tried to divest themselves of any responsibility for this person and they did it in a way that they effectively passed the ball as quickly as they could to us and then ran.’’
That was how it appeared to him at this stage, but the Australian Government could potentially be dealing with it differently behind closed doors.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern accused Australia of walking away from its responsibilities in cancelling Aden’s citizenship.
However, a statement released after she raised the matter with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the two nations were ‘‘working through those issues in the spirit of our relationship’’.
Aden acquired dual nationality after moving to Australia when she was six and travelled to Syria from there in 2014 to join Islamic State.