ISIS bride divorce bombshell as wife of man accused of raping their family slave tells court she now wants a 'peaceful life'

By WAYNE FLOWER, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 03:39, 22 June 2026 | Updated: 03:40, 22 June 2026 The Islamic State bride married to an alleged slave rapist has pledged to divorce him and live a 'peaceful life' in Australia.  Kawsar Abbas, 53, faces charges of enslavement, possessing a slave, using a slave and engaging in slave trading. She appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates' Court on Monday, where she has launched a bid to be freed on bail. The court heard Abbas had instructed her legal team to commence divorce proceedings against her husband, Muhammad Ahmad, who is now in a Syrian prison. The court had previously heard Ahmad was a brutal slave driver who routinely assaulted the family slave, punching and dragging her down two flights of stairs by her hair on one occasion. 'I bought you for sex and housework,' he told the alleged slave. On Monday, Abbas's barrister Peter Morrissey SC told the court his client now wanted nothing to do with him.  'My instructor has written instructions now to commence divorce proceedings against Muhammad,' he said. Kawsar Abbas, 53, faces charges of enslavement, possessing a slave, using a slave and engaging in slave trading. 'Those were in writing ... last week. In the civil courts, under the Family Law Act here.' Mr Morrissey told the court his client hoped to live a 'small scale and peaceful existence' in the community.  He further submitted Abbas had pledged to stay away from local mosques as part of any bail conditions.  On Friday, Australian Federal Police Detective Senior Constable Marc Clendenning, who led the charge against Ahmad, had expressed concerns Abbas would attempt to convert people to a radical form of Islam should she be released from jail.  The court heard the alleged slave claimed Abbas had been the one to instruct and condition the household slaves. 'The accused told her she was not allowed to practise her own religion and told her to read the Quran,' Det Clendenning said. The court heard Abbas told the alleged slaves they needed to behave as Islamic State warriors did. 'I want you to be taught how to use weapons according to the Daiesh beliefs,' she allegedly told her. Kawsar Abbas is being represented by top silk Peter Morrissey, SC Abbas's daughter Zeinab Ahmad (pictured) was denied bail this week 'We should be the same - whatever they do, we have to be the same.'  Mr Morrissey said Preston Mosque had advised it would not allow Abbas in if she were bailed with a condition forbidding her from mosques.  'She’s happy to have it made a condition of the bail.' The court heard Abbas suffered from a series of mental health complications, including post-traumatic stress and anxiety attacks.  On Monday, Abbas delayed proceedings after suffering such an attack, the court heard.  A forensic doctor later told the court Abbas now found it difficult to find joy, but hoped being released to live with her family might help the situation.  Abbas's freedom will be decided by Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan, who last week refused bail for Abbas's daughter Zeinab Ahmad amid concerns she had only renounced ISIS after being jailed in Australia.  Muhammad Ahmad remains married to Kawsar Abbas, but not for long, the court heard The court heard Abbas is accused of teaching religious practices and ideology within the home while living with her family in Syria.  Police allege Abbas threatened their slaves with beatings or the threat of assault.  '[The alleged slave] claimed the accused owned a Kalashnikov rifle and a Glock [pistol] and that she knew how to use them and observed her clean them,' Det Clendenning said. Their alleged slave claimed to have been taken captive as a 15-year-old when ISIS combatants murdered her mother and brother. Over the next five years she was said to have been traded about 17 times to different ISIS members, who beat, tortured and raped her. Police allege the Ahmad family bought the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, for US$10,000 during Ramadan in 2017. Ahmad told others the young girl was his wife, but allegedly told her: 'I bought you for the purpose of raping and at the same time serving the home.' Mr Morrissey said it was 'fanciful' that Abbas would attempt to convert family members in Australia to jihadist activities, and claimed she had indeed renounced ISIS.  Kawsar Abbas has been ferried about under tight security  'She's told a psychologist and instructed a barrister to say publicly to the world that she wants nothing more to do with ISIS. They’re terrible,' he said. Mr Morrissey suggested his client's act of renouncing ISIS had put her in 'the bad books' with the terror organisation. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.