Woman charged with joining Islamic State 'renounces' terror group

A sketch of Rayann El Houli from her court appearance last Thursday. (Supplied: Anita Lester)

Melbourne woman Rayann El Houli has appeared at a bail hearing after being charged with travelling to Syria to join Islamic State.

Her lawyer says she was a "highly traumatised individual" who wanted it known that she did not support Islamic State.

Ms El Houli is facing charges of entering a declared area and being a member of a terrorist organisation.

A Melbourne woman charged with terrorism offences wants nothing to do with Islamic State and has renounced any allegiance to the group, according to her lawyer.

Rayann El Houli, 34, appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court today to apply for bail, following her arrest last week.

Prosecutors allege Ms El Houli travelled to Syria to join Islamic State in 2013 or 2014, and returned to Australia last year.

Ms El Houli's barrister Peter Morrissey SC said his client was a "highly traumatised individual" who wanted it known that she did not support Islamic State.

"She renounces ISIS and violent jihad. She wants nothing to do with it, not now, not in the future. Not directly or indirectly," he said.

"Not for herself, not for the people she loves, and specifically not for her children.

"She saw running a law-abiding and loving household as the way forward for her children and for herself."

Today's bail application was adjourned to give the defence time to organise expert witnesses to testify.

Chief Magistrate Lisa Hannan, quoting from prosecutors' legal submissions, said Ms El Houli was accused of travelling to Syria and marrying several Islamic State members.

She allegedly expressed radical views supporting terrorism, tried to indoctrinate her young children, and attempted to recruit people to go to Syria.

Ms Hannan said she would want to hear evidence about Ms El Houli's beliefs and motivations, and what took place when she was held in a detention camp and managed to escape.

Rayann El Houli, 34, was arrested in Melbourne on May 28. (Supplied)

The chief magistrate said questions would be asked about Ms El Houli's lack of participation in anti-terrorism programs.

Mr Morrissey said his client was willing to undertake the programs but had been hamstrung by a potential diagnosis of multiple sclerosis.

Ms Hannan said the charges were "very serious" and she would need to weigh up risks to the community when deciding whether to grant bail.

Ms El Houli sat in the court dock wearing a blue hijab, which did not obscure her face.

This was in stark contrast to last week, when she wore a niqab, where only her ey