- Sydney prison expected to house women
- Prison guards have undergone special training
New plans have been unearthed to house ISIS brides inside a NSW prison, as guards reveal they’ve had to sit through specialised training on how to deal with ‘extremist females in custody.’
A freshly renovated wing at the Dillwynia (Windsor) Women’s Correctional Facility in Sydney’s west will be used to hold any of the Islamic State-linked women who pose a threat to national security.
Efforts to return the group of 11 women and 23 children from Syria to Australia are now on hold amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
However, news of the NSW Corrections plan comes just weeks after a new training program was rolled out for prison guards on how to work with ‘category five’ prisoners.
Female inmates referred to as ‘category five’ are typically deemed a special risk to national security, such as those involved in engaging in, or inciting others to engage in, terrorism‑related activities.
These prisoners must, at all times, be confined in special facilities within a secure physical barrier that includes towers or electronic surveillance equipment.
The program, titled ‘Women in Violent Extremism’, is said to cover de-radicalisation options and how guards can work with these inmates, The Australian reports.
‘There’s online training now available about how to deal with extremist females in custody and it’s very much happened all of a sudden,’ a source in NSW Corrections told the publication.
‘The question is, why would there be the need to be going through this and having to do this now? It was never mentioned before.’
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson also confirmed she had been contacted by several NSW Corrections officers over their concerns about the program.
‘These officers approached my office out of great concern for Australians’ public safety and their own welfare,’ Senator Hanson said.
‘Their new training coincides with the refurbishment of a 50-bed wing at the women’s correctional centre at Windsor designed to house female terrorists.
‘I estimate housing these women as Category 5 inmates could cost taxpayers around $1800 a day – or $650,000 per year – per prisoner. The question is: which taxpayers – Federal or NSW – are footing the bill? If they face life sentences, taxpayers are on the hook for tens of millions of dollars.’
When asked by the Daily Mail whether Windsor Prison would be used to house the ISIS brides, Corrective Services NSW did not deny the possibility. The agency also declined to deny reports that staff had recently been trained in how to manage extremist female inmates.
‘Community safety is the top priority for Corrective Services NSW. Corrective Services NSW takes the threat of radicalisation seriously,’ a Corrective Services NSW spokesperson said.
‘CSNSW determines security classifications and placements for inmates to maintain the safety and security of our prisons.
‘All correctional officers undergo compulsory training to prevent the risk of radicalisation in the prison system.’
It comes as NSW Premier Chris Minns confirmed that about a third of the group were planning to return to the state.
While Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan is yet to reveal how many ISIS brides will resettle in Victoria, it’s expected the majority of the 11 families will choose to do so.
The Daily Mail has contacted Victoria’s Department of Justice and Community Safety with questions on if they plan to roll out similar specialised training for officers.
One of the Australian women in the group has already been slapped with a temporary ban following advice from security agencies.
It’s understood the ‘temporary exclusion order’ is active for two years.
It is unclear whether the woman, who has not been identified, has any children she would be separated from as a result of the order.
Last month, Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke confirmed none of the other women or children have met the required legal thresholds for temporary exclusion orders.
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