Govt allows Isis bride to come home
An Isis bride and her two children will head to New Zealand from Turkey after the New Zealand Government agreed to their return. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern yesterday made the announcement on Suhayra Aden — who has been described as a “terrorist” — and her two children.
The three have been in immigration detention in Turkey since crossing the border from Syria earlier this year. Turkey has requested that New Zealand repatriate the family.
Lawyer Deborah Manning, who represents the family, says Suhayra Aden is looking forward to starting the next chapter of her and her children’s lives.
“I think like any mother her focus is very much on her children and she is most of all just wanting privacy and time with them, to let them have as much of a normal life as is possible to be able to cope and deal with everything they’ve been through,” Manning said.
She did not have a timeline on the family’s return.
Aden lived in New Zealand until age 6, when she moved to Australia.
Her case has been a bone of contention between Ardern and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison after Australia stripped her of Australian citizenship without notice to New Zealand.
Morrison had described Aden as “an enemy of our country” while Ardern had argued the family’s support base was in Australia and that was where they should return.
Ardern yesterday said the welfare of Aden’s children was the primary concern now.
“They are not Turkey’s responsibility, and with Australia refusing to accept the family, that makes them ours.”
She said details about arrangements or timing of bringing the family home would not be made public, and details of security arrangements for when they arrived could not be disclosed.
Removing Aden’s New Zealand citizenship would effectively leave her stateless, Ardern said.
“I can assure people great care is being taken as to how the woman and her young children are returned to New Zealand and how they will be managed in a way that minimises any risk for New Zealanders.
“Planning by agencies has been twofold — to ensure all appropriate steps are in place to address potential security concerns and to have the right services in place to support reintegration, with particular focus on the wellbeing of the children.”
The decision was welcomed by the The Islamic Women’s Council of New Zealand, which praised the Prime Minister’s decision to bring Aden and her children to New Zealand, “and not leave a young family stateless”.
It said it was in accord with international obligations.
National Party foreign affairs spokesman Gerry Brownlee said it was disappointing Australia had shirked its responsibilities.
“We can’t lose sight of the fact that this woman chose to leave Australia and join an organisation that wants to destroy our way of life.
“Her argument that she has left that behind now is a big stretch.”
Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence said 26-year-old Aden was an Islamic State terrorist.