Australian Federal Police ramp up investigation into Australian jihadis as sex slavery allegations emerge
The AFP has ramped up its investigation into Australian Islamic State fighters as allegations they bought, raped and held women as sex slaves emerge.
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The AFP has heard harrowing stories as they investigate allegations that Australians fighting for Islamic State sexually assaulted Yazidi women.
Australian Federal Police are in Europe as part of an investigation into dozens of Australians in Northern Syria, The Australian reports.
Investigators have collected disturbing statements from the women who have been resettled in Europe as refugees. They say Australian fighters bought, raped and even held them as sex slaves.
AFP has increased its resources as the investigation ramps up. At least four extra police officers have been sent to Jordan to probe Australians held in Syrian detention and the al-Hawl refugee camp. Its Australia-based investigation team has also been doubled.
Attention has mostly been directed at around 20 Australian men who are being held in detention by the Syrian Defence Force. They face a number of terrorism charges, and several are being investigated over their alleged treatment of who were bought and sold at Islamic State “slave auctions”.
Sydney man Hamza Elbaf - who was recently found alive after being presumed dead for 12 years - is among those being held by Kurdish forces.
Elbaf, 27, and his three brothers travelled to Syria and joined Islamic State in 2014. He claims he never fought and instead worked as a cook.
He told Kurdish media while he had heard of sex slave trafficking, but “only high-ranking people and princes in the Islamic State had access”.
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An AFP spokesperson told The Australian: “The AFP has also increased the number of investigators based in Australia working on investigating Australians of counter-terrorism interest believed to be located in the Middle East.”
“The AFP currently has two … investigative teams in Canberra dedicated to this issue.’’
There is still no talk of extraditing any Australians held in Syria.
Read more at The Australian.
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