‘Australian ISIS Bride’ Returns Home Amid Shocking Allegations of Enslaving and Torturing Yazidi Girl in Syria
- Hodan Abby, a Sydney woman, is expected to return to Australia after a decade in Syria, where she allegedly enslaved and tortured a Yazidi girl.
- The girl, Sara, was just nine years old when she was sold into slavery and claims she was beaten and raped by Abby’s husband, Abu Osama.
- Abby, who was previously barred from returning to Australia under a Temporary Exclusion Order, has been granted a return permit under strict conditions.
- Her return sparks concerns about national security and the potential for prosecution over her alleged crimes in Syria.
Hodan Abby, a 28-year-old Sydney woman, is set to return to Australia after spending over a decade in Syria, where she allegedly played a disturbing role in the enslavement and torture of a Yazidi girl.
The girl, Sara, was just nine years old when she was sold into slavery in 2016 and claims she was subjected to brutal treatment at the hands of Abby and her husband, Abu Osama.
Sara’s harrowing story, revealed exclusively to the ABC, paints a picture of a life of unimaginable horror.
She was abducted by ISIS militants in northern Iraq in 2014, along with thousands of other Yazidi women and children, and sold into slavery in Syria.
Sara claims she was forced to work as a domestic servant in the home of Abu Osama and his wife, Hodan Abby, who was known by the nom de guerre “Umm Osama”.
According to Sara, Abby’s husband would regularly rape her, and when Abby discovered this, she was furious. However, instead of protecting Sara, Abby allegedly joined in the abuse, beating her and forcing her to sleep in a shower room for days.
Sara claims she was sold eight times to different ISIS households, but the worst treatment she received was from Abby.
Abby’s return to Australia has sparked concerns about national security and the potential for prosecution over her alleged crimes in Syria. She was previously barred from returning under a Temporary Exclusion Order, designed to delay the return of individuals deemed a terror or security threat.
However, last month, she was granted a return permit under strict conditions.
Analysis: What This Means for Australia
The return of Hodan Abby raises serious questions about Australia’s ability to hold its citizens accountable for crimes committed overseas.
As a nation, we have a responsibility to protect our citizens, but we also have a duty to uphold the law and ensure that those who commit heinous crimes are brought to justice.
Security analysts say that Abby’s return could pose a significant risk to national security, particularly if she is not properly monitored and rehabilitated. “The fact that she was able to return to Australia under strict conditions suggests that the government is taking a cautious approach,” said one analyst.
“However, it’s crucial that we don’t let our guard down and that we continue to monitor her activities closely.”
Law enforcement insiders warn that Abby’s case is just the tip of the iceberg, with many more Australians who joined ISIS still at large.
“We need to be vigilant and ensure that we are doing everything in our power to prevent these individuals from returning and causing harm,” said one insider.
As for Sara, she hopes that Abby’s return will bring her some sense of justice. “I want her to be held accountable for what she did to me,” she said.
“I want her to know that she can’t just come back to Australia and expect everything to be okay. She needs to face the consequences of her actions.”
Expert commentary from international law expert Professor Donald Rothwell suggests that Abby’s case could set a precedent for future prosecutions.
“If the AFP is able to build a strong case against her, it could be a significant step forward in holding Australians accountable for their actions overseas,” he said.
