RIYADH — The arrest of a Filipino woman in a raid on an illegal explosives factory in the capital has sent shockwaves among the community, even as the Philippine envoy to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is waiting for details surrounding the case.
The Saudi Gazette likewise reported that a Filipino is among “terror” suspects arrested by Saudi officials in the past 4 days.
Those arrested include 14 Saudi nationals, 2 Yemenis, 9 Americans, two Syrians, an Indonesian, an Emirati, a Kazakhstan national, and a Palestinian, the paper added.
The suspects were members of six cells rounded up in pre-emptive raids in various parts of the kingdom.
It did not say, however, if any of the “terror suspects” was linked to ISIS, which has claimed several deadly attacks against security forces and Shiites in the kingdom in recent months.
Philippines Ambassador Ezzuddin Tago is seeking confirmation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the woman suspect’s identity and other details in the case, said a source from the embassy.
A rights group urged the embassy to take into cognizance that the Filipino suspect, identified as Lady Joy Aban Bali Nang, may have been forced into the act by the Syrian bomb maker, who shared the apartment with her. The Syrian was identified as Yasser Mohammed Shafiq Al-Barazi. Both were arrested during a major operation on Wednesday.
The Filipino had reportedly run away from her employer around 15 months ago under circumstances that are yet to be ascertained. She was reportedly involved in sewing explosives belts for the Syrian.
On Friday, January 29, a suicide bomber attacked a Shiite mosque in Eastern Province killing 4 people before worshippers disarmed and tied up his accomplice who had fired on them.
ISIS, a radical Sunni group that considers Shiites heretics, did not claim that attack.
The Saudi Gazette said some 532 ISIS suspects accused of plotting attacks in the kingdom are being questioned ahead of their trial at the criminal court in Riyadh.
Also on Sunday, the Saudi interior ministry said they were searching for 9 suspects allegedly involved in an August suicide bombing that targeted a mosque inside a police headquarters, killing 15 people.
ISIS had claimed the attack in the southern city of Abha.
The ministry said in a statement that 3 other suspects, including a member of the kingdom’s Special Forces, had been arrested in connection with the Abha mosque bombing.
The oil-rich kingdom offered rewards between one million riyals ($276,000) and 7 million riyals ($1.87 million) for anyone who helps in the arrest of a suspect or thwarts an attack. – Agence France-Presse
Speaking to Arab News, Rasol Abbas, Bangasamoro International Solidarity Conference (BISC) spokesman, said: “While we are among organizations working to unite and finalize support to the Kingdom in its fight against terrorism and other crimes, such actions are unacceptable.”
John Leonard Monterona, regional coordinator of rights group, Migrante-Middle East (M-ME), called upon the Philippine government to conduct an investigation into the alleged involvement of a runaway female to establish if she is indeed a Filipino.
He said, “It is possible that Joy may not be aware that the belts she was sewing were meant to carry explosives, especially if she was under the threat of the Syrian bomb maker.”
Another Riyadh-based community leader said: “We are renewing our advice and caution to all OFWs (overseas Filipino workers), legal or otherwise, in the Kingdom to strictly abide by the laws of the host country and avoid indulging in activities that are detrimental. We regard Saudi Arabia as our second home, and we should help foster peace and security in the Kingdom in our own little way.”
Riyadh-based community leader Saidy Malic there should be a public pronouncement denouncing this kind of incident. “It serves as a warning to all Filipinos working here to uphold moral values and reject any kind of violence.”
