Mum whose Muslim extremist husband is fighting in Syria appears in court on charges of supporting terrorism
By Candace Sutton 03:58 08 Jul 2014, updated 09:26 08 Jul 2014
- Fatima Elomar, 29, is charged with charged with 'preparing for incursions into a foreign state with the intention of engaging in hostile activities'
- The mother of four appeared in the Downing Centre court in Sydney today
- She was arrested by counter-terrorism detectives at Sydney Airport in May
- Her husband Mohamed Elomar is believed to be fighting with terror group ISIS in either Syria or Iraq
- Her lawyer said Ms Elomar fears harassment from 'anti-Muslim groups'
A mother of four who was arrested at Sydney Airport as she was boarding a plane with her four children and later charged with supporting terrorism has left a Sydney court today covered in a burqa and with her children's faces also covered.
Fatima Elomar, 29, is charged with charged with preparing for incursions into a foreign state with the intention of engaging in hostile activities.
Ms Elomar wore a hijab in court but her face was uncovered for Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan. But when she left the court she covered her face so that only a tiny slit around her eyes was visible, as well as holding a sheet of cloth to further shield her identity.
Her two sons, daughter and baby were also covered as she left the court with her lawyer, Zali Burrows.
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Her husband is Mohamed Elomar is believed to be fighting with terror group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. Mr Elomar is believed to have flown to Syria late last year with Khaled Sharrouf, a convicted terrorist, who fled the country on his brother's passport.
Sharrouf has allegedly been tweeting pictures in support of ISIS terrorists.
Ms Elomar was arrested by joint counter-terrorism detectives at Sydney Airport on May 3 while trying to board a flight to Malaysia with her children.
She was reportedly carrying cash and camouflage gear, on behalf of her husband, who is in Syria.
Ms Elomar's lawyer Zali Burrows made an application under the crimes Act to the downing Centre court to have her address suppressed to protect the safety of herself and her children.
Ms Burrows said Ms Elomar 'has received threats' and feared harassment from anti-Muslim groups.
Ms Burrows said the 'ADL (Australian Defence League) or anti-Islamic groups' could target her client if her address was published.
Ms Burrows excused the presence of Ms Elomar's children in the court, saying they were there because it was 'school holidays'.
In May, through her lawyer, Ms Elomar described herself a ‘devoted mother’ of her four children and said the charges were ‘serious and over-zealous’.
In a statement, Ms Elomar said her children had suffered enough from not being able to visit Malaysia for a holiday, which she claims was her intended destination when she boarded the plane.
‘The ordeal of being interviewed without their mother, being unable to return home to their friends and school, having to adjust to a new way of life of reporting in to the police station with mum, and the task of trying to make new friends at a new school in a new state,’ her lawyer told the Daily Telegraph.
Ms Elomar is the wife of Mohamed Elomar, an extremist believed to be fighting with terror group the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
Elomar is the nephew of convicted terrorist Mohamed Elomar, who plotted with four other men in 2005 to bomb targets in a bid to force Australia's government to change its policy on Middle East conflicts.
Ms Elomar said her arrest highlighted the pitfalls for travellers packing camouflage gear as a fashion item.
‘At the end of the day this is an example of one must be careful what you pack to travel, let it be a travel warning to leave the camouflage pants at home and best check with Smart Traveller as to what the acceptable fashion is,’ she said.
Ms Elomar said her case was a warning to other travellers to be careful of the 'fashion' items they packed.
'At the end of the day this is an example of one must be careful what you pack to travel, let it be a travel warning to leave the camouflage pants at home and best check with Smart Traveller as to what the acceptable fashion is,' she said.
Ms Elomar has been charged with supporting incursions into a foreign state with the intention of engaging in hostile activities.
Mrs Elomar was arrested in May allegedly boarding a plane at Sudney airport to join her husband who is fighting in Syria appeared in court with her children.
The case has been adjourned to September 9.
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