An accused ISIS bride is fighting to be released from a maximum security prison, claiming she denounces the terror group and wants to live as a suburban mum and embrace Australian life.
Zeinab Ahmad, 31, appeared in Melbourne Magistrates Court on Monday, where her defence team argued she should be granted bail to live with her uncle in the suburbs, despite serious allegations about her time in Syria.
Ahmad is accused of marrying multiple Islamic State fighters and allegedly helped keep a sex slave for her father in Syria while receiving payments from IS. Since her infamous arrival back in Melbourne, Ahmad has claimed she now hates ISIS.
Her lawyer told the court: “She rejects the organisation. She has deep anger towards the men who enforced its ideals upon her.” Her uncle has offered to have her live with him if bail is granted.
Defence lawyer Grace Morgan argued her client has a child who needs her. The lawyer said the child “has endured more things in her short life than most Australian adults would endure in their entire existence”.
Morgan told the court this is the first time a charge of crimes against humanity has been heard before an Australian court, and that the alleged offences happened in war-torn Syria, which means it could take more than three years to get to trial. She argued this would be an unfair burden on her client.
The AFP wants Ahmad kept behind bars, alleging she travelled to Syria from Australia where her husband fought for the regime and has married two other ISIS fighters since. Prosecutors say she committed crimes that carry a maximum 25 years jail and will continue their fight against bail tomorrow.
