Tareq Kamleh, an Australian doctor who joined the Islamic State and became a propagandist for the group, has close ties to Hodan Abby, identified as Australia's last remaining ISIS bride. Kamleh, who was presumed dead but is now known to be held in an Iraqi jail, married into a family with a sister-in-law accused of serious crimes related to the terror group.
Abby, originally from western Sydney, recently cleared a legal hurdle that had barred her from Australia for two years. She was reportedly known as an enforcer of sharia law within Syria's al-Roj refugee camp, where many Australian women and children linked to ISIS were housed. She has also faced accusations of mistreating a Yazidi slave. Abby is described as being very close to a radicalized family that Kamleh married into. His wife, Amina, is the sister of Somali-Dutch militant Khadra Essa. Essa is wanted by the FBI for allegedly commanding an all-female ISIS battalion and is suspected of involvement in a $7 million kidnapping plot and the disappearance of two American children.
Kamleh, who left Australia in 2015 claiming he was going on holiday, appeared in propaganda videos urging medical professionals to join him in Syria. He was thought to have died in 2017 during the battle for Raqqa. His family ties have drawn attention, particularly his sister-in-law Khadra Essa, who is reportedly on the run and wanted by the FBI. Former US diplomat Peter Galbraith, who helped rescue Kamleh's stepdaughter from the Roj camp in 2021, described the Essa family as participants in ISIS crimes, including kidnapping and hiding children.
Authorities are being urged to question Kamleh about the whereabouts of his sister-in-law, Khadra Essa. He is among 13 Australian men linked to ISIS who could potentially return to Australia, despite previous vows not to come back. The Australian Federal Police have an active warrant for Kamleh for terrorism offences, including allegedly joining and recruiting for a banned organization. The Australian government has stated it has limited powers to prevent his return if he attempts to come back, though he would likely be arrested upon arrival.
Abby is reportedly reconsidering her return to Australia following the arrests and charges of other ISIS brides who have repatriated. Australia's Home Affairs Minister, Tony Burke, noted that only one individual had met the threshold for a temporary exclusion order, indicating that Abby's situation differs from others. He confirmed that authorities are aware of her activities and are monitoring her location. Australia has seen the return of several groups of women and children linked to ISIS in recent months, including both orphaned children and women with children.
