Late yesterday, four women and nine children arrived in Australia from Syria. 

The women, who originally left the country to be part of the Islamic State caliphate, have spent the years since its collapse in Syrian refugee camps. 

Many of their children, who are Australian citizens too, have never been here before. 

But they aren’t the first to come back – since 2019, women and children like them have been returning. 

What they’re returning to has become more and more hostile, with politicians maintaining they aren’t welcome, and police threatening arrest.  

Today, Professor Michele Grossman, expert on violent extremism from Deakin University, on our responsibility to these citizens and the danger of politicising their position. 

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And special credit for the audio of Australian children inside al-Roj refugee camp goes to William Christou and the Guardian.

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Guest: Expert on violent extremism from Deakin University, Professor Michele Grossman

Photo: AP Photo/Baderkhan Ahmad