Wife of Syria extremist arrested at airport

A WOMAN arrested at Sydney airport accused of ­attempting to go to Syria to ­assist jihadist rebels is the wife of an extremist.

A WOMAN arrested at Sydney airport who police accused of ­attempting to travel to Syria to ­assist jihadist rebels is the wife of Mohamed Elomar, a known extremist believed to be fighting with banned terror group the ­Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.

As revealed by The Australian 10 days ago, Elomar, the nephew of convicted Pendennis terrorist Mohamed Elomar Sr, flew to Syria late last year in the company of Khaled Sharrouf, a second convicted terrorist.

On May 3, a woman was ­arrested at Sydney airport with her children as she boarded a flight to Malaysia. That woman was last night named as Elomar Jr’s wife. Authorities alleged she was en route to Turkey, then overland to the Syrian border to meet her husband.

Elomar Jr’s wife was granted police bail, meaning she has not yet appeared before a magistrate. She is due in court next month.

When she was arrested, Elo­mar Jr’s wife had camouflage gear, GPS watches and cash, which authorities allege she ­planned to give to her husband.

The Australian has been told Elomar Jr travelled to Syria with Sharrouf, another Sydney extremist who, along with Elomar Sr, was convicted in the Pendennis trial. Sharrouf was jailed for his role in the conspiracy to attack targets in NSW and Victoria.

His parole had ended, but authorities were left red-faced when Sharrouf fled the country using his brother’s passport.

At the time of his arrest, Sharrouf was facing weapons charges following an incident in the NSW central west, where police allege he was illegally firing weapons.

Sharrouf and Elomar Sr are among about 150 Australians believed to be actively participating in the Syrian conflict.

Almost all are fighting with Syria’s rebel movement, either with ISIS or Jabhat al Nusra, both of which are banned in Australia as terrorists groups.

Elomar Jr’s sister has previously denied her brother was involved in the fighting in Syria.

“My brother is foremost a ­humanitarian and I did not know this was a crime,’’ she told The Australian 10 days ago.