An ISIS terrorist bride, Suhayra Aden, and her children would return to New Zealand from Turkey after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern agreed to their return. Suhayra and her two children have been in immigration detention in Turkey after illegally crossing the border from Syria in February 2021.
Suhayra had lived in New Zealand until the age of six and moved to Australia with her parents and holds an Australian passport. After Suhayra fled the country with her children to fight alongside ISIS, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison stripped her off from Australian citizenship without giving a notice to New Zealand.
Morrison, before stripping Suharya had called her ''an enemy of our country''. Turkey, after capturing her and her children, described the jihadi bride as a ''terrorist'' belonging to the Islamic State.
Turkey has since then requested Australia to take back Suhayra and her children for repatriation and Morrison has repeatedly rejected Turkey's plea.
New Zealand PM Ardern accused Australia of ''abdicating'' its responsibility and cited that under international law, children have a right to nationality and be cared for by their parents. Ardern stressed that Suhayra held a dual New Zealand-Australia citizen and grew up in Australia, but Australia revoked her citizenship but New Zealand would not.
In March 2021, former Justice Minister Andrew Little said he expects Jacinda to take a moral stand and bring Suhayra and her family to New Zealand and also stated that the trio should not be detained.
Jacinda released a statement saying she would allow Suhayra and her children get back to New Zealand. ''They are not Turkey's responsibility, and with Australia refusing to accept the family, that makes them our's,'' she said.
The PM also assured that Suhayra and her children will be taken good care in New Zealand and also look to it that they don't pose any risk to people. ''I can assure people great care is being taken as to how the woman and her young children are returned to New Zealand and how they will be managed in a way that minimizes any risk for New Zealanders,'' she said.
The repatriation has opened up a bone of contention between Ardern and Scott Morrison and despite Suhayra and her family now allowed relocation to New Zealand, the Australian government said it would not revoke Suhayra's citizenship.
