Angus Taylor snaps at journalist as Liberals ramp up rhetoric against Australian children in Syrian camp | Australian security and counter-terrorism

Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has suggested the Australian children remaining in a Syrian detention camp are “Isis sympathisers” as the Liberal party increases its criticism of families linked to Islamic State fighters.

Comments Follow Criticism of Repatriation Efforts

Taylor also rebuked a reporter for questioning why the group of 23 children and 11 women should not be the responsibility of another country.

“Either you’re an activist or a journalist, you need to make up your mind,” Taylor said.

During a press conference on Monday, Taylor stated, “They are Isis sympathisers. Let’s be clear that this is a group who have gone to the Middle East to support Isis … there is no ambiguity about that.” He added, “We must shut the door to Isis sympathisers. We should have values-based and belief-based tests on who comes into this country and those who believe in this ideology, the Isis ideology, are not welcome in this country.”

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Jonathon Duniam referred to the under-18s as “so-called children.” The 34 women and children – wives and children of slain or jailed IS fighters – are currently living in al-Roj detention camp in north-eastern Syria, where conditions are described as “life threatening.” Some of the children were born in the camp and have never left.

The Guardian recently spoke with several young children at the camp, including six-year-old Layla, an Australian girl born in the camp who described Australia as a place with “an ice-cream shop” and where the characters Bluey and Bingo live.

Duniam stated the importance of compassion for the children but suggested, without providing evidence, that many are closer to adulthood in age. “But that does not mean we need to sacrifice national security, and at this point in time, I don’t know how many of the cohort, so-called children, are below the age of 17,” he said.

Under the Passports Act, citizens are entitled to a passport but there are exemptions for people with active arrest warrants or those who might “prejudice” the security of the country.

One woman in the group has been issued with a temporary exclusion order, banning her entry to Australia for up to two years.

The Albanese government has stated it is not actively assisting the group’s repatriation but conceded there are few avenues to prevent their return.

The Coalition has said it will introduce a bill to make it an offence to provide assistance to repatriate people involved in terrorist organisations without prior approval.

Greens Senator David Shoebridge criticised Taylor for using the children as “political pawns.”

“When Angus Taylor comes here as the leader of a major political party in this country … and calls a child a terrorist sympathiser, people can see through that,” he said. “They know a little six year old girl, isn’t that, and it does him absolutely no credit to sink to those moral libraries and to try and weaponise kids in a detention camp.”

“But when Angus Taylor tries to use these children as political pawns like this, he debases politics. He debases his party, and he debases himself.”