Tongan teenage bride links to ISIS terrorists in Australia revealed

(Yahoo 7 News) A Tongan teenage woman Alo-Bridget Namoa has been refused bail after Police claimed she has allegedly earlier been caught with a knife wrapped in a Shahada flag in her handbag and graphic images of beheadings, explosions and executions stored on her mobile phone. There is a concern she is a supporter of ISIS.

The teenage wife of a western Sydney man charged with terror-related offences has been arrested.

A Sydney teenage bride who allegedly boasted of wanting to “do an Islamic Bonnie and Clyde” has been refused bail.

Alo-Bridget Namoa, from Guildford in Sydney’s west, appeared at Parramatta Local Court via videolink on Saturday facing 31 charges of refusing to answer questions at a Crime Commission hearing.

The 18-year-old was hauled before the commission on Friday after her husband Sameh Bayda was charged with three counts of collecting documents likely to facilitate terrorist acts in January.

The court heard Namoa refused to answer dozens of questions about Bayda’s alleged plans to sacrifice himself and “leave this dunya”, downloading Islamic State propaganda and planning to commit a terrorist act.

Senior police prosecutor Clint Nasr said Namoa had allegedly earlier been caught with a knife wrapped in a Shahada flag in her handbag and graphic images of beheadings, explosions and executions stored on her mobile phone.

According to court documents, among the questions Namoa was asked by the commission were, “What do you mean by ‘I want to do an Islamic Bonnie and Clyde on the kaffir’?” and “Were you planning to sacrifice your life alongside your husband?”

The court heard Namoa was bound by law to answer all questions, given multiple chances and warned of the consequences if she failed to do so.

Sergeant Nasr said underlying the 31 charges was a disturbing pattern of extreme behaviour.

“The court needs to look behind the charges,” he said.

“There is a concern she is a supporter of ISIS.

“The accused was up to her eyeballs in what her husband was up to.”

The 18-year old married Bayda in December after converting from Christianity to Islam.

Namoa’s legal aid representative, who did not want to be named, said that if released her client would live with her Catholic mother in Auburn, not contact any Muslim people or visit any mosques, and report to police.

The court heard Namoa was a fragile teen who suffered from anxiety and would be closely monitored if granted conditional bail.

“This is a woman that’s going to be more watched in the community than the usual habitual thief,” her lawyer said.

But Magistrate George Zdenkowski said Namoa faced serious charges and described the potential threat to the public through terrorist acts as extreme.

“It’s an unusual situation, a young woman, with no prior record would normally be released on conditional bail,” Mr Zdenkowski said.

“Because of the danger, the alleged danger, to the public and her links to her partner and references to acts of violence, I shall refuse bail.”

Namoa is expected to face Central Local Court on Thursday, February 11.

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