Rahaf Zina

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Rahaf Zina is a citizen of Syria, suspected of an association with Daesh.[1] She was arrested, on March 25, 2017, with a Kuwaiti man named Hussein al-Dhufairi. Al-Dhufairi was described as a bomb-maker, and brother of a senior Daesh leader, Abdul Mohsin Al-Dhufairi.

Zina was described by Vitaliano Aguirre II, Department of Justice of the Philippines as a member of ISIS, widow of "high-ranking IS commander" killed in Syria, who entered the Philippines to carry out "a bombing operation."[2]

Marital status

Some press reports said Zina was married to Hussain Al-Dhufairi. Others said she was the widow of Abdul Mohsin Al-Dhufairi. CNN reported the couple described themselves as married, to Philippine immigration officials, when they arrived in the Philippines, on January 25, 2017.[3] Visa status and work status

Both Zina and Al-Dhufairi are reported to have arrived in the Philippines, on January 28, 2017, using their own passports, with valid travel visas. Some press reports asserted that Zina and al-Dhufairi both had work visas, and both held down legal jobs. Other press reports asserted that while al-Dhufairi had a valid work visa, Zina had arrived on a tourist visa.[4]

Press reports asserted Zina would not be deported to Syria, because of the civil war there. There were no grounds to extradite her to Kuwait, a country she had never visited. There was speculation she would be deported to Qatar, the country she had visited immediately prior to traveling to the Philippines. Capture, and claims of a threat to Philippine security

The pair were captured at their home, a condominium in a suburb of Manila, on March 25, 2017. Philippine authorities did not immediately make their capture public knowledge. Reporters were allowed to take pictures, when Philippine authorities produced the pair at the press conference when their capture was announced, on April 7, 2017. Philippine government officials claimed their capture foiled a threat to Philippine public safety. But, by April 17, 2017, when al-Dhufairi was deported back to Kuwait, to face charges there, they had concluded the pair had not made contact with any individuals connected with homegrown Philippine Muslim insurgent groups.

[1][3][5]

[6][7][8][9][10]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 "Al-Dhufairi arrest in Manila sparks raids in Kuwait – Shoot-to-kill orders in suspect sweep". Arab Times (Kuwait City). 2017-04-08. Archived from the original on 2017-04-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20170415154616/http://www.arabtimesonline.com/news/al-dhufairi-arrest-manila-sparks-raids-kuwait-shoot-kill-orders-suspect-sweep/. Retrieved 2017-04-16. "Security sources disclosed that a Kuwaiti security delegation will travel to Manila Sunday to complete the extradition arrangement of a Kuwaiti “DAESH” affiliate Hussein Al-Dhufairi who together with his Syrian wife were arrested by security authorities for planning to execute terrorist acts in the Philippines and Kuwait, reports Al-Seyassah daily." 
  2. Chad de Guzman (2017-04-14). "Suspected IS member deported from Philippines". Agence France-Presse. https://search.proquest.com/news/docview/1887330220/fulltext/358CD029C0784395PQ/24?accountid=10226. Retrieved 2018-03-07. "NBI presents alleged ISIS members nabbed in Taguig". CNN Philippines. Archived from the original on 2017-04-06. Retrieved 2017-04-17. "Kuwaiti Husayn Al-Dhafiri and Syrian Rahaf Zina, who claimed to be Al-Dhafiri's wife, were arrested on March 25 in front of an establishment in Taguig." 
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