10-07-2025
Palestinian woman aged in her 60s deemed ‘risk to security' and detained after raid on Sydney home
A Palestinian woman aged in her 60s, who has been deemed a 'risk to security', has been taken to an immigration detention centre following a raid at her home in Sydney's south-west.
A crowd of protesters gathered outside of Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke's Punchbowl office on Thursday, rallying against the detention Maha Almassri, 61, who her family say was detained early that morning.
The Daily Telegraph has reported a letter related to the matter says Ms Almassri failed a visa 'character test' following an Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) assessment.
The Department of Home Affairs was 'provided with an Adverse Security Assessment in which ASIO advised that it has assessed Ms Almassri to be directly or indirectly a risk to security,' according to documents seen by the masthead.
The Daily Telegraph said it understands Ms Almassri moved from Gaza to Australia in 2024.
The 61-year-old's brother in law Soliman Almassri told the publication 'no explanation' had been provided for her being detained and taken to Villawood Immigration Detention Centre.
'A member of her family has been killed, her house (in Gaza) has been destroyed. She's traumatised, she's sick and this is the treatment she gets from the Australian government,' he said.
Published video footage of Thursday's rally, where a sign reading "Bloody Burke" was displayed, shows Mr Almassri addressing protesters, telling them the 61-year-old was 'kidnapped' at 5am.
'So my message to Tony (Burke), who, we elected him to represent us, that we want Maha to be released tonight from the detention centre,' he said.
'We demand that she be released tonight.'
The detention comes the same day the Albanese government handed down a major report outlining a series of measures to combat antisemitism, which includes screening visa applicants for antisemitic views or affiliations.
Antisemitism envoy Jillian Segal told Sky News on Thursday the aim of the report was to combat antisemitism in the streets, in classrooms and in the arts.
Sky News is not suggesting Ms Amassri holds antisemitic views.
