Ammara Amjad and Dure Ahmed were arrested on their arrival in Montreal and police are seeking a terrorism peace bond for the women. They appeared for a bail hearing via videoconference and remain in custody until their next court appearance on Tuesday. Under a terrorism peace bond, a defendant could face a prison sentence or make a deal for good behaviour.
"The success of this investigation can be attributed to the strength of our policing partnerships. The RCMP stands fast against support to terrorism, including support to groups such as ISIS [Islamic State], and remains committed to the safety of all Canadians," Chief Superintendent Matt Peggs of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in a press release.
Canada repatriated 14 Canadians from Syria on Wednesday - four women and 10 children. The women and children had been held at camps for ISIS affiliates in northeast Syria.
Ottawa has resisted repatriating its nationals from Syria, citing insecurity in the region and security risks the ISIS-affiliates pose. The group of 14 was part of a federal court case against the government, which struck a deal, agreeing to repatriate six women and 13 children.
The women’s lawyer Lawrence Greenspon said he worked for three years to get the government to bring them home.
"What it demonstrates is that Canada has the ability to repatriate these women and children and then deal with any concerns that they have through the Canadian justice system, which is the way it should be," said Greenspon, CBC news reported.
Five Canadians did not show up for the repatriation flight, according to the lawyer.
The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), who control northeast Syria, fought the lion’s share of the battle against ISIS and arrested thousands of the terror group’s fighters along with their wives and children when they crushed ISIS territorially and took the group’s last stronghold in Syria in 2019. The women and children now live in northeast Syria’s al-Hol and Roj camps, where human rights groups say conditions are “filthy,” “often inhumane,” and “life-threatening.”
The SDF have repeatedly called on foreign governments to take responsibility for their nationals.
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