Sydney mother allegedly abandoned her two children to join Isis in Syria
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Version 0 of 1. A Sydney woman who abandoned her two children to join Islamic State has been brainwashed, her mother says. It’s believed Muslim convert Jasmina Milovanov left her seven-year-old son and five-year-old daughter for a life with Isis in Syria. She told a babysitter caring for her children that she was going to pick up a new car but never returned to her western Sydney home. On 3 May, she reportedly sent a text message to her ex-husband, who was in Turkey, telling him to return to the children. “She never mentioned anything,” her mother told Network Ten on Tuesday. “I even saw her the week before and she was alright. Probably she is brainwashed. She is so young and naive.” Milovanov, who goes under the name Assma Abdulla on Facebook, posted about her arrival in “sham” – the Arabic word for Syria. “In the blessed land of sham ... bad reception ... Please forgive me for everything,” she wrote, in a post that has been deleted. It’s believed the mother-of-two had links to a notorious jihadi bride recruiter, who may have lured her to Syria. A close friend has told ABC News Milovanov often posted on Facebook about finding a husband. “What we believe is Assma really wanted to get married, she was very lonely ... we think that’s how they’ve encouraged her to go,” the friend said. “She’s not a terrorist. I don’t believe she’s gone over there to fight.” Another friend said Milovanov borrowed $2,500, which they now believe was used to fund her trip to Syria. “We are in shock. For her not to come home to her kids ... they were her whole world,” the friend, who did not want to be named, told the ABC. “It’s blowing my mind because she was so normal.” The foreign minister Julie Bishop said: “I’m deeply pessimistic about the fate of this apparently troubled young woman.” However, she was thankful the woman had left her children in Australia, unlike other alleged recruits. Meanwhile, a 23-year-old Brisbane man has also left Australia, but it’s believed he wanted to fight against Isis militants. Ashley Dyball has reportedly posted several times on Facebook, saying he was headed for the “front line tomorrow #fuckisis”. Another post, featuring an image of him dressed in camouflage gear and holding an assault rifle, said: “No news is good news. Miss everyone from home hope your (sic) all well #YPG #FUCKTHEISLAMICSTATE”. Media reports said Dyball may have links with the Kurdish People’s Protection Units fighting Islamic State militants in Syria and Iraq. |