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| Khaled Sharrouf's mother-in-law weeps in ABC interview as she recalls picture | Khaled Sharrouf's mother-in-law weeps in ABC interview as she recalls picture |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| The grandmother of a nine-year-old pictured last year in Syria holding the severed head of a Syrian soldier has spoken of her devastation at an image she fears will “follow him everywhere his whole life”. | The grandmother of a nine-year-old pictured last year in Syria holding the severed head of a Syrian soldier has spoken of her devastation at an image she fears will “follow him everywhere his whole life”. |
| Karen Nettleton said she is terrified for the welfare of her daughter Tara, the wife of Islamic State fighter Khaled Sharrouf, and their five children, currently believed to be in Syria’s Raqqa province. But she said on Monday the Australian federal police (AFP) had told her they were powerless to help the family while they remained in Syria. | |
| “I was devastated because who else do you go to, to get help to get your children out of a place like that? I certainly can’t go there and get them,” she told ABC television’s 7.30 program. | “I was devastated because who else do you go to, to get help to get your children out of a place like that? I certainly can’t go there and get them,” she told ABC television’s 7.30 program. |
| Nettleton wept as she recalled the image Sharrouf posted online last year, of his nine-year-old son struggling to lift the severed head of a Syrian soldier. | Nettleton wept as she recalled the image Sharrouf posted online last year, of his nine-year-old son struggling to lift the severed head of a Syrian soldier. |
| “It just devastated me. The worst thing I have ever seen in my life,” she said. “It’s going to follow him everywhere his whole life. For one picture to do that. He’s a sweet, sweet boy.” | “It just devastated me. The worst thing I have ever seen in my life,” she said. “It’s going to follow him everywhere his whole life. For one picture to do that. He’s a sweet, sweet boy.” |
| It emerged last week that another Australian fighter, Mohamed Elomar, had been killed in drone strike in Syria, but the fate of Sharrouf remains unclear. | It emerged last week that another Australian fighter, Mohamed Elomar, had been killed in drone strike in Syria, but the fate of Sharrouf remains unclear. |
| Nettleton showed a text she received from her 14-year-old granddaughter Zaynab, who recently married Elomar, and is believed to be pregnant with his child. | Nettleton showed a text she received from her 14-year-old granddaughter Zaynab, who recently married Elomar, and is believed to be pregnant with his child. |
| “My husband got hit by a drone yesterday and got killed,” it read. “I’m really sick and I think I have a fever. When I found out, I was happy for him to get what he wanted and to go to paradise but at the same time I was devastated because I love him so much.” | “My husband got hit by a drone yesterday and got killed,” it read. “I’m really sick and I think I have a fever. When I found out, I was happy for him to get what he wanted and to go to paradise but at the same time I was devastated because I love him so much.” |
| Though he had plunged her daughter and grandchildren into the war zone, Nettleton declined to give her opinion on Sharrouf, a former drug addict who served nearly four years in prison in Australia for terrorism offences. | Though he had plunged her daughter and grandchildren into the war zone, Nettleton declined to give her opinion on Sharrouf, a former drug addict who served nearly four years in prison in Australia for terrorism offences. |
| Nor did she comment on her granddaughter’s decision to marry Elomar at just 13 years old. “I have to be careful, because I don’t want to alienate any of them because then I wouldn’t hear from them again,” she said. | |
| When her daughter, Tara, married Sharrouf she was briefly estranged from her mother at age 16. | When her daughter, Tara, married Sharrouf she was briefly estranged from her mother at age 16. |
| Nettleton told the ABC she arrived at Manly wharf on Sydney’s northern beaches for a planned reunion to find her daughter wearing a hijab. She had married a man named Carlos – Khaled Sharrouf – and was pregnant with his daughter. | Nettleton told the ABC she arrived at Manly wharf on Sydney’s northern beaches for a planned reunion to find her daughter wearing a hijab. She had married a man named Carlos – Khaled Sharrouf – and was pregnant with his daughter. |
| On Monday the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, repeated his call for Nettleton to keep the issue between her and the police. | On Monday the immigration minister, Peter Dutton, repeated his call for Nettleton to keep the issue between her and the police. |
| “I’ve said for well over a week now, and I repeat the call today, I think this is best an issue discussed between the family and the Australian authorities,” he said. “If there is speculation around them wanting to do a so-called deal or inquiring about coming back to Australia, I don’t think that is in anyone’s best interests to be canvassed on our television sets.” | “I’ve said for well over a week now, and I repeat the call today, I think this is best an issue discussed between the family and the Australian authorities,” he said. “If there is speculation around them wanting to do a so-called deal or inquiring about coming back to Australia, I don’t think that is in anyone’s best interests to be canvassed on our television sets.” |
| The AFP did not comment on Nettleton’s case, but said it “recognises that family members are concerned for the safety of their loved ones”. | |
| “However, the security and political situations in Iraq and Syria dramatically limit the ability of the authorities to assist in these situations,” it said in a statement. | “However, the security and political situations in Iraq and Syria dramatically limit the ability of the authorities to assist in these situations,” it said in a statement. |
| “The AFP with other relevant Australian agencies is able to assist Australians who have left Syria and are in another country with which we have or can establish government-to-government communication and wish to return home.” | “The AFP with other relevant Australian agencies is able to assist Australians who have left Syria and are in another country with which we have or can establish government-to-government communication and wish to return home.” |
| It said “the welfare of children will be taken into account in cases where they have travelled to Syria with their parents”, but did not elaborate on what consequences children such as Sharrouf’s would face if they returned. | It said “the welfare of children will be taken into account in cases where they have travelled to Syria with their parents”, but did not elaborate on what consequences children such as Sharrouf’s would face if they returned. |
| AFP’s counterterrorism chief Neil Gaughan told the Daily Telegraph they have never had direct contact with Nettleton over the return of her daughter and grandchildren from Syria, but there was some contact with a lawyer who said he was acting for the family. | |
| The prime minister, Tony Abbott, said last week he sympathised with Sharrouf’s children, “but on the other hand, we have to appreciate the scale of the evil which is being practised here. And that’s the thing, we will act to protect our country”. | The prime minister, Tony Abbott, said last week he sympathised with Sharrouf’s children, “but on the other hand, we have to appreciate the scale of the evil which is being practised here. And that’s the thing, we will act to protect our country”. |
| The children of criminals would be “dealt with in the same way [they] are usually dealt with”, he said. | The children of criminals would be “dealt with in the same way [they] are usually dealt with”, he said. |
| Australian Associated Press contributed to this report |