Firefox integrates an ad-blocker, but not to block ads

Raj Bhat
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Firefox integrates an ad-blocker, but not to block ads

Software

It’s in Waterfox too, and there it does what you’d expect

Firefox 149 quietly shipped an interesting new feature buried in the code. As Mozilla bug #2013888 documents, the browser maker incorporated Brave’s Rust-based adblock engine back in March – a detail surfaced in a blog post by Shivan Kaul Sahib, VP of Privacy and Security at Brave.

The important thing here is that although Firefox has picked up the core Rust code that Brave uses for its internal ad-blocker, that’s not what Firefox is using it for. Right now, in fact, it’s disabled by default, but as a post from the official Firefox Reddit account says:

The Firefox team is experimenting with ways to improve the built-in Enhanced Tracking Protection feature in Firefox. This is one of the libraries we’re going to experiment with… Note: We are not bundling Brave’s ad-blocking system, we’re testing one of their open source Rust components to improve how Firefox processes tracker lists.

In other words, inclusion of the code is experimental, and it’s not intended for blocking ads. That’s presumably also why it didn’t appear in the release notes for either the early March beta or the late March release.

So, yes, there is code for an ad-blocker in the last two versions of Firefox, but it’s off by default, and there’s no user interface to enable it. (There are ways round this, and we’ll return to that later.)

The experimental new Rust-based ad-blocker in Waterfox works as you’d expect (click to enlarge)

That said, the code from Brave can do this – because as it happens, the privacy-enhanced Waterfox fork of Mozilla’s browser is also experimenting with a built-in ad-blocker, and it’s using the same code.

Waterfox recently celebrated its 15th birthday, and recent releases have an experimental built-in ad-blocker. At the time of writing, the latest version is 6.6.12, and that version’s release notes mention the experimental ad-blocker, and link to the feature’s feedback page which has more info. This says:

Waterfox recently integrated another popular add-on. The last major release, Waterfox 6.6.0 in August last year – rebased on the new Firefox 140 ESR –  included a native vertical tab bar. As revealed in a 2024 blog post, this is based on an integrated version of the popular Tree Style Tab extension.

The new ad-blocker works similarly. If you enable it, on restart, Waterfox looks for other ad-blockers, such as Reg FOSS desk recommendation uBlock Origin, and offers to disable them. We tried this, and the uBO icon in the toolbar is replaced by a no-entry symbol, with a small number overlaid to show how many ads were blocked on the current page. (For instance, just two for Astronomy Picture of the Day, but 38 – and counting – for MSN.co.uk. And that’s on top of network-level blocking from our Pi-hole.)

The new ‘adblock-rust Manager’ extension in Firefox 150 – it can’t configure it for you, but it can walk you through the job (click to enlarge)

So, experimental or not, adblock-rs is in there and it does work. It is possible to enable the version embedded in the desktop version of Firefox. It’s controlled by two settings in about:config. The problem is that enabling it is not as simple as installing an extension, because extensions are not allowed to change those advanced settings. There is an experimental add-on called adblock-rust Manager. The README there carefully walks you through the manual steps you need to perform to enable the engine and tell it what to block, and then the add-on can monitor it and tell you what it’s doing.

We tried it, and it seems to do a perfectly acceptable job. For now, though, unless you’re curious, we suggest staying with uBlock Origin, which works fine and isn’t going anywhere. ®



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US says migration has made Europe an ‘incubator’ for terrorism in new counter-terrorism strategy | Trump administration

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The Trump administration has accused Europe of being an “incubator” for terrorism fuelled by mass migration, in a new counter-terrorism strategy unveiled on Wednesday.

The strategy also focuses on rooting out “violent left-wing extremists” including “radically pro-transgender” groups, as Trump’s conservative administration steps up its political attacks on opponents.

It also further places drug cartels in the Americas at the centre of counter-terrorism efforts.

But some of its strongest language is reserved for Europe, home to numerous US allies who will be alarmed to see their continent in the Trump administration’s crosshairs once again.

“It is clear to all that well-organised hostile groups exploit open borders and related globalist ideals. The more these alien cultures grow, and the longer current European policies persist, the more terrorism is guaranteed,” the strategy said.

“As the birthplace of Western culture and values, Europe must act now and halt its willful decline,” said the strategy, led by counter-terrorism coordinator Sebastian Gorka.

The report said that European nations remained the US’s “preeminent and long-term counterterrorism partners”, but stated: “The world is safer when Europe is strong, but Europe is greatly threatened and is both a terror target and an incubator of terror threats.”

The fresh criticism of Europe comes just months after Trump’s new national security strategy said the continent faced “civilizational erasure” due to immigration.

Trump has also recently lashed out at European Nato allies for failing to help with his war on Iran.

Trump’s administration has moved aggressively to reshape the western hemisphere region with the ouster of Nicolás Maduro as Venezuela’s president, dozens of US military strikes on alleged drug boats operated by cartels and new pressure on the communist government of Cuba.

The administration’s campaign of blowing up alleged drug-trafficking vessels in Latin American waters has persisted since early September and killed at least 191 people in total.

At the same time, Trump has sought to press regional leaders to work more closely with the US to target cartels and take military action themselves against drug traffickers and transnational gangs that he says pose an “unacceptable threat” to the hemisphere’s national security.

Gorka said administration officials would meet with allies later this week to discuss how they can bolster their counter-terrorism strategies.

“As the president made very clear, we will measure your seriousness as a partner and ally by how much you bring to the table,” he told reporters, adding that the US expects “more” from its partners.

Left-wing groups remain a major preoccupation for the Republican president’s administration, and the strategy targets what it calls “violent Left-Wing Extremists, including Anarchists and Anti-Fascists.”

It says US counter-terrorism efforts will “prioritize the rapid identification and neutralization of violent secular political groups whose ideology is anti-American, radically pro-transgender, and anarchist.”

Since his return to power last year, Trump has demonised any recognition of gender diversity and transgender people.

He regularly boasts about how his administration has banned transwoman from women’s sports and shortly after his inauguration signed an executive order proclaiming that there are only two genders.

With Agency France-Presse and Associated Press



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Photos show Texas man allegedly firing at Secret Service agents near White House

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Photos show Texas man allegedly firing at Secret Service agents near White House

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Photos from surveillance cameras show the man who was shot Monday by U.S. Secret Service agents near the White House allegedly pulling a gun and firing toward officers during a confrontation just after Vice President JD Vance’s motorcade passed through the area.

The suspect, identified as Michael Marx, 45, of Texas, was spotted Monday afternoon near 15th Street and Independence Avenue NW, which is roughly a half mile from the White House, when officers noticed what appeared to be a concealed firearm.

When agents approached, Marx ran, then pulled a handgun from his waistband while fleeing, according to a federal affidavit reviewed by Fox News Digital.

As officers chased him through a busy crosswalk filled with pedestrians, Marx turned and fired in the direction of a Secret Service officer, documents say.

SECRET SERVICE OFFICERS SHOOT ARMED INDIVIDUAL NEAR WHITE HOUSE

Right: An innocent bystander clutches his leg after being hit by a bullet allegedly shot by Michael Marx

Right: An innocent bystander clutches his leg after being hit by a bullet allegedly shot by Michael Marx (United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.)

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A male civilian, previously identified as a juvenile, standing behind the officer was shot in the leg and taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the affidavit said.

Images included in the court filing appear to show the suspect moving through the intersection as people scatter, then raising the weapon and firing.

LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONDING AFTER 2 NATIONAL GUARD MEMBERS SHOT NEAR WHITE HOUSE

Secret Service agents returned fire, striking Marx in the hand, left arm and upper abdomen before taking him into custody, the affidavit said.

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Police officers standing near a crime scene in Washington, D.C.

The shooting unfolded moments after Vance’s motorcade had passed through the area, though Secret Service Deputy Director Matt Quinn previously said that there is no indication it was targeted.

Authorities said Marx was taken to a hospital. His condition has not been released.

SECRET SERVICE SHOOTS MAN IN OVERNIGHT ‘ARMED CONFRONTATION’ NEAR WHITE HOUSE

Police officers standing near a crime scene in Washington, D.C.

Investigators recovered a 9mm SIG Sauer handgun at the scene, according to the filing, and seized electronic devices as part of the investigation.

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Court records show Marx was not licensed to carry a firearm in Washington, D.C., and had a prior felony drug conviction in Florida, making it illegal for him to possess a gun.

He has been federally charged with assaulting federal officers with a dangerous weapon, using and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence, and illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

SECRET SERVICE AGENT ASSIGNED TO VANCE PLACED ON LEAVE AFTER ALLEGED SECURITY LEAK

Police officers standing near a crime scene in Washington D.C.

After he was wounded, Marx allegedly spat at officers and shouted “F— the White House” and “Kill me, kill me, kill me” while being transported in an ambulance, according to the affidavit.

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Quinn said the confrontation began when surveillance personnel spotted what appeared to be a weapon.

“My understanding is they observed a print,” Quinn said. “These are trained surveillance detection personnel out there looking every day to look for just that.”

A crime scene technician removes a gun on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

A crime scene technician removes a gun following an exchange of gunfire between the Secret Service and a gunman on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Monday. Police said the gunman shot at a Secret Service agent and wounded a bystander before police shot the gunman. (Andrew Leyden/Getty Images)

“Upon making contact, that individual fled briefly on foot, withdrew a firearm and fired in the direction of our agents and officers,” he added. “They returned fire and engaged.”

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Quinn was also asked whether the suspect was targeting President Donald Trump.

“I can’t say — I’m not going to guess on that,” he said. “But we will find out.”



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Stock Market Today Live:- The HinduBusinessLine

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Stock Market Today Live:- The HinduBusinessLine

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Published on May 7, 2026

North Korea says it is not bound by any treaty on nuclear non-proliferation | Nuclear Weapons News

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North Korea says it is not bound by any treaty on nuclear non-proliferation | Nuclear Weapons News

Pyongyang says its status as nuclear-armed state ‘will not change based on external rhetorical claims’.

Published On 7 May 2026

North Korea’s envoy to the United Nations has declared that Pyongyang will not be bound by any treaty on atomic weapons and that no external pressure will change its status as a nuclear-armed state.

Ambassador Kim Song’s statement – carried by state media on Thursday – came as the United States and other countries criticised North Korea’s nuclear programme at the ongoing UN conference reviewing the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

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Pyongyang withdrew from the NPT in 2003 and has since conducted six nuclear tests, promoting multiple UN Security Council sanctions.

The country is believed to hold dozens of nuclear warheads.

“At the 11th NPT Review Conference currently under way at UN headquarters, the United States and certain countries following its lead are groundlessly calling into question the current status and exercise of sovereign rights,” Kim said, according to the official Korean Central News Agency.

“The status of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea as a nuclear-armed state will not change based on external rhetorical claims or unilateral desires,” he added.

“To make it clear once again, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea will not be bound by the Non-Proliferation Treaty under any circumstances whatsoever.”

He continued that the country’s status as a nuclear-armed state has been “enshrined in the constitution, transparently declaring the principles of nuclear weapons use”.

North Korea has long insisted that it will not give up its nuclear arsenal, describing its path as “irreversible” and pledging to strengthen its capabilities.

It has sent ground troops and artillery shells to support Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and observers say Pyongyang is receiving military technology assistance from Moscow in return.

The nine nuclear-armed states – Russia, the US, France, the United Kingdom, China, India, Pakistan, Israel and North Korea – possessed 12,241 nuclear warheads in January 2025, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reported.

The US and Russia hold nearly 90 percent of nuclear weapons globally and have carried out major programmes to modernise them in recent years, according to SIPRI.

The nuclear issue has been at the heart of the US and Israel’s war on Iran, with US President Donald Trump saying that Tehran – a signatory to the NPT – can never have a nuclear weapon.

Iran denies seeking an atomic weapon and has long demanded Washington acknowledge its right to enrich uranium.



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Dave Chappelle says media took his comedy out of context on Obama podcast

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Dave Chappelle says media took his comedy out of context on Obama podcast

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In a candid, on-location interview released Wednesday, comedy legend Dave Chappelle joined former first lady Michelle Obama and her brother, Craig Robinson, for their podcast IMO to discuss the “avalanche” of the modern news cycle and the loss of nuance in public discourse.

The episode, recorded in Chappelle’s hometown of Yellow Springs, Ohio, finds the comedian reflecting on his past controversies with a mix of defiance and exhaustion, at one point joking that his battles over transgender jokes now feel like “the good old days” compared to the current state of the world.

Addressing the years of backlash following his Netflix specials like “The Closer,” Chappelle argued that the media often mischaracterizes his relationship with the subjects of his jokes.

“People would think it’s me versus the gay community… I never looked at it like that,” Chappelle said. “I always thought it was corporate interest and culture negotiating itself.”

MARC MARON CLAIMED NETFLIX STANDING BY DAVE CHAPPELLE SHOWS ‘FASCISM IS GOOD FOR BUSINESS’

Dave Chappelle speaking at the premiere of Live In Real Life at Martha's Vineyard Performing Arts Center

Dave Chappelle was a hot topic during the early 2020’s as his popular comedy routines involving transgender ideology enraged many liberal viewers. (Arturo Holmes/Getty Images)

Chappelle offered a staunch defense of the comedy club as a sanctuary for free expression, describing it as a place where “every opinion you can think of is represented” and where comics of all backgrounds—including transgender, Black, White, and Asian—refuse to silence one another.

“We might duke it out on stage… but silencing that person wouldn’t be anything,” he said, adding that after the shows, the comics are “all upstairs drinking” and hashing out their disagreements as artists.

He saved his sharpest criticism for the media, accusing outlets of stripping the “nuance” out of art to fit a binary narrative.

“Nothing makes a comedian madder than reading his joke wrong in the paper,” Chappelle said. “If [art] is going to be good or even hopefully great, you gotta have a margin of error… but the media was acting like thought or speech was binary.”

COMEDIAN RICKY GERVAIS SAYS ‘FREE SPEECH’ ESSENTIAL FOR COMEDY, ADMITS ANY JOKE WILL OFFEND SOMEONE

Comedian Dave Chappelle speaking on stage at Duke Ellington School of the Arts theater

Comedian Dave Chappelle spoke to Michelle Obama about looking back at the backlash not only from viewers, but from the media, who he derided for criticizing his standup routines without even attending them. (Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/For The Washington Post)

The conversation took a more somber turn when discussing the current political and social climate. Chappelle lamented a 24-hour news cycle that he finds increasingly overwhelming.

“Every day the news cycle is more appalling than the last day, and this doesn’t seem like it’s ever gonna end,” Chappelle said. “And every week I learn some new word, like ‘Strait of Hormuz,’ or blah, blah, blah.”

He even used his own daughter’s perspective to take a jab at President Donald Trump, who has been a frequent target of his lately. Chappelle recalled telling someone: “You know, my daughter is 16, so Donald Trump is the first White president she’s ever seen. And my baby’s like, ‘Oh no! They’re not good at it, Daddy!'”

In a moment of dark irony, Chappelle noted that the intense “cancellation” efforts he faced in recent years now seem minor. “Someone asked me about my transgender jokes… and I go, ‘Ah, the good old days!'”

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Dave Chappelle standing in front of a microphone during SNL promos

Dave Chappelle said that every day of news is more appalling than the last, joking as if there were less worries in the days he was simply facing widespread condemnation. (Rosalind O’Connor/NBC)

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Alexander Hall is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to Alexander.hall@fox.com.



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Mahua Moitra: Mahua Moitra alleges misbehavior in Delhi flight; Demands strict action from the airline – Mahua Moitra Alleges Harassment On Indigo Flight, Seeks Action And No-fly Ban Against Accused

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Mahua Moitra: Mahua Moitra alleges misbehavior in Delhi flight; Demands strict action from the airline – Mahua Moitra Alleges Harassment On Indigo Flight, Seeks Action And No-fly Ban Against Accused

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Mahua Moitra has made serious allegations of alleged misbehavior and harassment in a Delhi-bound Indigo flight. He has posted on social media regarding this incident and demanded strict action from the airline and the government.



Mahua Moitra told that she was going to Delhi for official work, where she had to attend the meeting of the Standing Committee on Defense Affairs of the Parliament. She said that she was sitting on seat 1F in Indigo flight 6E-719. According to the MP, four to six people boarded the plane together and sat at the back of the plane, staring at him. He claimed that this behavior was uncomfortable.



‘I was treated in an objectionable manner’
Mahua Moitra alleged that after the flight landed in Delhi and before the doors of the plane opened, they behaved offensively with her. Not only this, his video was also made, which he termed as a serious security violation. He clearly said that this was not any kind of anger of the citizens, but a direct harassment and violation of their security.

Demand for strict action from airlines and government
Mahua Moitra has appealed to Indigo Airlines to investigate the crew report, identify the accused and immediately put them on the no-fly list so that they are not able to travel by air in future. Along with this, he has also demanded Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu to intervene in this matter and take strict action.

Taiwan student pwns rail comms, halts high-speed trains

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Taiwan student pwns rail comms, halts high-speed trains


Cyber-crime

Investigators spent weeks unravelling enthusiast’s bedroom project

A university student in Taiwan is out on bail after being accused of interfering with signals sent to the country’s high-speed rail network, bringing trains to a halt.

In a statement issued to local media, Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) confirmed that a 48-minute disruption to three trains on April 5 was caused by a rogue General Alarm signal of the kind triggered by specialized equipment used by train station staff.

This General Alarm signal was sent via a terrestrial trunked radio (TETRA) handset at Taichung Station. Staff followed protocol and engaged their emergency response plans, which in turn instructed trains to manually stop.

These devices are not the kind commuters usually carry around. Functioning much like walkie-talkies, they are typically used by station staff to communicate with one another and train drivers.

Given that these devices are most commonly used by station staff, officials initially assumed it was an inside job. 

Rail police and telecommunications investigators probed the case after station control room staff ruled out the possibility of official equipment having been stolen or misused by staff.

Taiwan’s Major Criminal Cases Unit joined the investigation on April 13 after chief prosecutor Chang Chun-hui deemed the case a threat to transportation safety.

Over the course of two weeks, detectives concluded that the attack was likely carried out by the 23-year-old student, identified only by his surname Lin, who was described as a radio enthusiast.

According to statements reported by UDN, officials believe Lin exploited a vulnerability in the TETRA communication network and remotely triggered the General Alarm signal using unspecified electromagnetic equipment, which police said they found while searching his residence and workplace.

Following the raids, police seized seven radio devices, a laptop, two smartphones, and what appeared to be a software-defined radio (SDR) filter.

Officials said they believe the way Lin allegedly triggered the General Alarm was rudimentary and involved cloning signals using equipment he bought online.

Lin allegedly connected a radio to his laptop via an SDR filter, which captured the radio signal used by THSR, and configured his radio device to transmit the same signal, allowing him to trigger the General Alarm in a way that appeared to come from a station employee.

Police arrested Lin on April 28, and after questioning on April 29, concluded he was most likely behind the disruption. They released Lin on bail, convinced there was no need for further detention, setting the value at NT$100,000 ($3,183). ®



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‘We just want our children to be safe’: two Australian states prepare to resettle children from Syrian detention camp | Australian security and counter-terrorism

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Authorities in two Australian states are preparing to resettle children returning from squalid detention camps and life under Islamic State rule, as at least some of their mothers face possible criminal charges.

Four women and nine children are expected to return to Australia on Thursday, with all of them apart from a mother and her child bound for Melbourne.

Before boarding their flight, one of the women told the ABC that Australia seemed “like paradise” for the families after years living in camps in Syria’s northeast.

“We just want our children to be safe. It was like hell [in Syria] for them,” they said.

Another told the ABC: “One of the boys has an Australian accent, even though he’s never been to Australia.”

The Australian federal police said on Wednesday that some of the women would be arrested and charged, while support would be made available for the children.

Mat Tinkler, the CEO of Save the Children Australia, said this was exactly the scenario that had been advocated for since the collapse of the so-called caliphate in 2019 led to the group of 34 Australians being detained in camps in north-east Syria.

“We need to focus on what is going to happen to these women when they arrive, and we’ve heard from the AFP commissioner today about that, and we also need to focus on giving these children the space to recover, to survive, to thrive,” Tinkler told the ABC.

“Two-thirds of this cohort that we’re talking about in Syria are children.

“There’s been a lot of focus on the women and the choices they may have made but we need to focus on these children and give them a chance of resuming a normal life in Australia.”

Tinkler said the fact that other women and children had returned, and that other western nations had also successfully reintegrated their citizens, meant the “temperature should be dialled right down” in relation to the cohort.

There have been recent unconfirmed reports from Syria that evacuations of the camps have begun, increasing the likelihood that other Australian citizens may seek to return home.

The home affairs minister, Tony Burke, insisted the government had provided no assistance to the group.

Australian citizens cannot legally be prevented from returning to the country unless a formal exclusion order is in place. Burke has issued a single order to prevent one woman in Syria from returning, based on Asio advice about a national security risk.

None of the returning group are affected by such an order.

The cohort returning to Australia include children who were born in detention camps after the fall of Islamic State, a woman previously married to a notorious recruiter for the terror group, and others who insist they only travelled to the Middle East to perform aid work.

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Eleven of them are members of the same family and are expected to settle in Melbourne.

The other two are a woman and her child, who are expected to settle in Sydney.

Planning for group’s return

Mike Bush, the Victorian police commissioner, said he expected his officers would play a “significant part” in monitoring any of the cohort who returned to Melbourne and were free to live in the community.

He said the AFP was leading the investigation, and said another pair of women who returned to Melbourne with their four children in October were also still being monitored.

Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, said anyone “who has broken the law will face its full force”.

“Children will be asked to undertake countering violent extremism programs. That is appropriate.”

On Wednesday morning the government was alerted to the planned departure of a group of 13 who left al-Roj and travelled to Damascus last month. They all hold Australian passports.

Behind-the-scenes planning for the group’s return has been under way for 10 years, including a community liaison team working with affected local communities.

The New South Wales police minister, Yasmin Catley, told parliament on Wednesday that NSW police were “working closely” with the AFP.

“The NSW government and the NSW police will have a role, as they have done previously with returning brides of foreign fighters and their children,” she said.

“I assure people that, if anyone has committed an offence, they will face the full force of the law.”

Asio’s director general, Mike Burgess, said advice about the group had been provided to policing agencies. “The government understands our assessed risk,” he said.

“It’s up to them what they do when they get here. If they start to exhibit signs of concern, we and the police, through the joint counter-terrorism teams, will take action.

“I’m not concerned immediately by their return but they’ll get our attention, as you expect.”

Despite Burgess’s comments, the shadow home affairs minister, Jonathon Duniam, claimed the government had “actively failed to safeguard” Australians from a security risk.

The group began their second attempt to travel home to Australia last month after a much larger cohort was turned back by Syrian authorities in February. Syrian authorities were taking the group to Damascus, amid international pressure for countries to take back foreign fighters stuck in the camp.

The US has pushed countries including Australia to repatriate citizens who had travelled to the Middle East to join the IS caliphate but the issue has dogged successive governments.

Under Albanese, Labor had supported bringing the families home as recently as 2022 but the politics surrounding the return of the group has dramatically shifted since the December shootings at Bondi beach.

Albanese has refused to help in any way, saying the adults had “made their bed” and should suffer the consequences of their actions.

– Benita Kolovos and Penry Buckley contributed reporting to this story



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