Open-source news on jihadism in Australia

This section contains news from open sources on persons involved in jihadist activities or criminal activities satellite to jihadism in Australia.

  • 09 September 2026

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    Supreme Court of Victoria upheld the bail application previously denied for Zeinab Ahmad

    Melbourne woman Zeinab Ahmad has had her second bail attempt denied. She is accused of owning a slave while supporting the Islamic State group in Syria. It is alleged Zeinab Ahmad mistreated a Yazidi teenager and ordered her to do household chores, after the girl was purchased as slave by Ahmad’s father, Mohammad Ahmad, in 2017. Mohammad Ahmad is one of the Australian men that will face trial in Iraq; he is the husband of Kawsar Abbas and father of Zeinab Ahmad who are facing court proceedings in Australia.

    Zeinab Ahmad had her bail application denied in June after the magistrate found “exceptional circumstances” had not been reached, and the Supreme Court of Victoria today upheld that decision.

    Zeinab Ahmad crossed into Syria with her family in 2015 and made multiple social media posts showing support for the Islamic State terrorist group, the Australian Federal Police have told the court.

    Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-09/zeinab-ahmad-isis-bride-bail-court/107132096

  • 02 Sptember 2026

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    13 Australian men detained in Iraq will likely face trial for terrorism offences in Ira

    Iraq has begun the judicial phase of its post‑ISIS investigations, meaning 13 Australian men detained in Al‑Karkh Central Prison will likely face trial for terrorism offences, which can carry the death penalty under Iraqi law.

    Six of the men are from Sydney, four from Melbourne and one each from Perth and Adelaide. Among them is a young man, Yusuf Zahab, who was a 12-year-old boy when his parents took him to Syria, and 15 when Islamic State fell and he became a prisoner. He has come to adulthood behind bars and is now 22.

    Source: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/revealed-the-13-australians-who-could-face-the-death-penalty-in-iraq-20260902-p60ts8.html

  • 01 September 2026

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    16‑year‑old Australian boy pleaded guilty to planning a terrorist bombing at the Sydney Opera House

    A 16‑year‑old Australian boy has pleaded guilty to planning a terrorist bombing at the Sydney Opera House during the Sydney Marathon.

    He told the court he was gradually radicalised online after being exposed to increasingly violent extremist content on TikTok and later communicating with people on Telegram.

    He researched how to target the Opera House on a day with maximum crowds, inspired by videos about the 2013 Boston Marathon attack. Although he developed a detailed plan, he said he was only “50:50” about carrying it out and eventually abandoned extremist views, expressing remorse in court.

    He was 14 years old when federal police arrested him in August 2024 at his Western Sydney home, where officers found more than 40 videos on his computer featuring extremist content.

    Sources:  https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-09-01/sydney-isis-inspired-teenager-pleads-guilty-terror-attack-plans/107102028 and https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16097529/sydney-opera-house-terror-plot-teen-tiktok-radicalisation.html

  • 27 July 2026

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    18‑year‑old Australian teenager was granted bail

    An 18‑year‑old Australian teenager accused of possessing Islamic State (IS) extremist material has been granted bail and will be released back into the community after a Supreme Court judge dismissed prosecutors’ appeal against his earlier bail decision.

    The teen was originally charged in March with collecting IS‑inspired terrorism manuals, guides, and propaganda, and with importing a prohibited item – an IS flag. A police search of his home uncovered a USB containing a photo of a bomb in a backpack, instructions for making explosives, jihad‑promoting magazines, IS flags, and videos of extremist propaganda.

    The judge allowed bail on strict conditions, including a nightly curfew, reporting to police three times a week, and a ban on going within 100 metres of a synagogue, warning that any breach – even minor – would send him back to court.

    Source: https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16007151/teen-islamic-state-bail-Victoria.html

  • 21 July 2026

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    Perth‑born paediatrician known as Dr Jihad is reportedly alive and imprisoned in Iraq

    Tareq Kamleh – a Perth‑born paediatrician who became a prominent figure in Islamic State (ISIS) propaganda – is reportedly alive and imprisoned in Iraq, nearly a decade after ISIS claimed he had died in Raqqa. ISIS fighters had announced his death in 2017 during the final battle for Raqqa, but new reporting states he is currently being interrogated by Iraq’s counter‑terrorism judiciary in an Iraqi jail.

    He is said to be among 13 IS‑linked men seeking repatriation to Australia while Iraqi authorities investigate whether they were “non‑combatants”.

    Kamleh, nicknamed “Dr Jihad,” left Australia in 2015 to join ISIS as a mobile field doctor. Investigators say Kamleh’s involvement went beyond medical work, alleging he embraced ISIS propaganda and encouraged attacks outside conflict zones. Australian Federal Police also hold an arrest warrant for him over terrorism offences.

    Source: https://thewest.com.au/news/perth/tareq-kamleh-perth-paediatrician-turned-isis-poster-boy-reportedly-alive-in-iraq-jail-c-22609568

  • 13 July 2026

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    ISIS brides Kawsar Ahmad and Zeinab Ahmad pleaded not guilty to slavery charges

    A mother and daughter – Kawsar Ahmad (54) and Zeinab Ahmad (31) – have pleaded not guilty to slavery charges linked to their time living under Islamic State (ISIS) rule in Syria. Their pleas mean the case will now proceed to a Supreme Court trial in Victoria.

    The two women were among the so‑called “ISIS brides” who returned to Australia in May after spending years in the Al Roj detention camp in Syria. Prosecutors allege the family kept a Yazidi teenager as a slave, an ethnic group persecuted by ISIS.

    Kawsar has been granted bail, while Zeinab remains in custody after failing to meet the “exceptional circumstances” threshold for release.

    Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-07-31/mother-daughter-isis-brides-plead-not-guilty-slavery-charges/106981900

  • 26 June 2026

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    Melbourne grandmother Kawsar Ahmad was granted bail

    Kawsar Ahmad, a 54‑year‑old Melbourne woman who returned from a Syrian detention camp, has been granted bail after being charged with slavery offences linked to the period she lived under the rule of Islamic State.

    Prosecutors allege she approved an arrangement in which a Yazidi teenager was kept as a slave in her family home. The magistrate ruled that prosecutors failed to prove she posed an unacceptable risk to the community, though risks “could never entirely be eliminated” and must be managed through strict bail conditions such as reporting to police, avoiding religious teaching, not contacting people outside Australia, and keeping a log of visitors. Ahmad is expected to be released. Her daughter, Zeinab Ahmad, facing related slavery charges, was denied bail earlier this month.

    Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-26/kawsar-ahmad-charged-with-slavery-offences-granted-bail/106848132

  • 22 June 2026

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    Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard ISIS bride Kawsar Ahmad for bail application

    Kawsar Ahmad, a 54-year-old grandmother, argued at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court that she would lead a “very confined” and “peaceful existence” if granted bail to live with her family in Melbourne.

    She was among a group of so-called ISIS brides who returned to Australia in May after fleeing a Syrian detention camp. She stands accused of committing slavery offences while supporting the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria.

    Source: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-06-22/isis-bride-kawsar-ahmad-bail-hearing/106826646

  • 28 May 2026

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    34‑year‑old Melbourne woman charged with terrorism offences

    A 34‑year‑old Melbourne woman who recently returned to Australia after years in Syrian detention has been charged with terrorism offences for allegedly travelling to Syria and joining the Islamic State.

    Police say she became involved with ISIS between 2013 and 2014. She was later detained by Kurdish forces in 2019 and held with her family in the al‑Hawl camp before returning to Australia in September 2025. Another woman returned with her, though neither was part of the more recent cohort of “ISIS brides” repatriated from the Al Roj camp.

    Source: https://citynews.com.au/2026/returned-isis-bride-charged-with-terrorism-offences/

  • 26 May 2026

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    Nineteen Australian women and children linked to Islamic State were quietly processed and released at Sydney and Melbourne airports

    Nineteen Australian women and children linked to Islamic State were quietly processed and released at Sydney and Melbourne airports after returning from Syrian detention camps, with no immediate charges laid.

    Authorities said the group underwent searches and device downloads for investigative purposes, and that investigations into Australians who travelled to Syria remain ongoing. Some women may still face charges in the coming days, according to government sources.

    The women arrived on flights from Damascus via Doha and were allowed to leave through side exits to avoid chaotic scenes like those during a previous cohort’s arrival on May 7, when arrests and scuffles occurred at Melbourne Airport.

    Australian officials emphasised that the government provided no assistance for the return and that the women will face the full force of the law if evidence supports charges.

    Source: https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/kid-gloves-treatment-as-isis-brides-land-in-sydney-and-melbourne-20260526-p600vj.html

  • 07 May 2026

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    Three Australian women arrested after arriving from Syrian detention camps

    Three Australian women who spent years in Syrian detention camps for families of Islamic State (ISIS) members were arrested upon returning to Australia and now face serious criminal charges. Two women, aged 53 and 31, will be charged with crimes against humanity related to enslavement, while a third woman, aged 32, will be charged with membership in a terrorist organisation.

    The women were part of a group of four women and nine children who arrived in Australia after a release negotiated partly by family members, not the government.

    Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/07/world/asia/australia-isis-women-children-syria.html

  • 25 March 2026

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    17‑year‑old Victorian boy charged with terrorism‑related offences

    A 17‑year‑old Victorian boy has been charged with terrorism‑related offences after allegedly collecting manuals and guides promoting ISIS‑inspired terrorism, a violent extremist organisation responsible for severe harm and human rights abuses.

    The investigation began when authorities detected an ISIS flag imported into Australia and traced it to an address in inner‑city Melbourne, identifying the boy as the intended recipient.

    Source: https://www.afp.gov.au/news-centre/media-release/victorian-boy-charged-collecting-terrorism-material

  • 14 March 2026

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    Australia is increasingly arresting children - some as young as 10 - for possessing extremist material, including ISIS propaganda

    Australia is increasingly arresting children – some as young as 10 – for possessing extremist material, including ISIS propaganda and violent videos, under laws introduced to “disrupt” early radicalisation. Many of these children have autism, language disorders, or social difficulties, raising concerns that they may not fully understand they are committing a crime.

    Cases include: a 14‑year‑old autistic girl who collected war‑related videos out of curiosity and had no intent to harm; she was charged after police found extremist clips on her devices. A 13‑year‑old boy whose charge was dropped after his lawyer called the case “oppressive”. A 17‑year‑old autistic boy who pleaded guilty to possessing violent extremist videos but was described as having “significant neurological disadvantage”.

    Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/mar/14/australian-children-arrested-charged-possessing-extremist-material-ntwnfb

  • 18 February 2026

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    13 Australian ISIS suspects are among the more than 5700 detained in Iraq

    Australian officials are trying to gather information about 13 Australian citizens with suspected ISIS ties who were transferred from Syria to Iraq in a US‑led military operation. The men are among over 5700 detainees moved to Al‑Karkh Central Prison in Baghdad for interrogation and future trials related to crimes committed in Iraq.

    Source: https://thenightly.com.au/politics/australian-officials-scramble-to-track-13-isis-fighters-transferred-to-iraq-in-us-military-led-operation-c-21672028

  • 14 December 2025

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    50-year-old Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram, aged 24, killed 16 people

    On 14 December 2025, two individuals – 50-year-old Sajid Akram and his son Naveed Akram, aged 24 – began shooting from a small bridge overlooking a parking lot next to the park in Bondi Beach. They fired a total of 82 rounds during the six-minute atrocity. The attackers displayed two Islamic State (IS) flags at the scene before opening fire. The Islamic State later claimed responsibility for inspiring the attack through its Al Naba newsletter.

    The attack purposefully targeted an annual community Hanukkah celebration called “Chanukah by the Sea,” which was being attended by approximately 1,000 people at Archer Park.

    The assault resulted in 16 total fatalities (including 15 innocent victims and one perpetrator) and left 40 others injured. It stands as Australia’s deadliest mass shooting since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre.

    Sources: https://ctc.westpoint.edu/the-bondi-attack-the-islamic-states-strategic-shifts-and-jihadi-tactics-in-australia/ and https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-14/bondi-beach-shooting-terrorist-attack-12-dead/106141580

  • 02 October 2025

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    Melbourne teen with ISIS interests accused of threats against Jewish congregation

    An 18‑year‑old Melbourne man has been charged with terror offences after allegedly expressing strong interest in ISIS, a violent extremist organisation responsible for severe harm and human rights abuses. Evidence presented to the Supreme Court shows he used a secret phone to access extremist material “day and night”.

    Investigators found execution videos, footage of attacks on civilians, combat scenes, and photos of him holding three machetes, which are still missing.

    Prosecutors argue he poses an “unacceptable risk to the community,” citing alleged threats against the Melbourne Hebrew Congregation.

    Source: https://tanea.com.au/en/melbourne-teen-with-isis-interests-accused-of-threats-against-jewish-congregation-hidden-machete-cache/

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