Doing other countries’ bidding
Why am I not surprised that there are no members of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, in Central Visayas? If there are, they’re probably here vacationing--you know, taking a much-needed rest from all that death and destruction in their part of the world—with their family.
That was probably what Kuwaiti national Husayn al-Dhafiri and his Syrian wife Rafah Sina were doing here back in January.
But just to be sure, Police Regional Office 7 Director Noli Taliño said they will look into the couple’s movements.
The only thing linking them to the Jihadist militant group right now is the word of the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
That, and a confidential information from the Kuwait Security Service saying Al-Dhafiri is on the watchlist of the Kuwaiti government.
The same information also tagged Sina as the widow of Abu Jandal al-Kuwaiti, the second highest commander of ISIS who was killed in the Middle East.
I have to admit, I’m full of questions. Like, were they arrested merely because of the FBI and the Kuwait Security Service’s say-so?
According to a CNN Philippines report, Al-Dhafiri and Sina were standing in front of an establishment in Taguig City when they were nabbed by agents of the National Bureau of Investigation.
The couple reportedly failed to present immigration papers.
Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre said that aside from Cebu, the couple also visited Davao City.
It was also revealed that Al-Dhafiri and Sina were involved in the manufacture of explosives, and were planning a bombing in Kuwait, and possibly here in the Philippines.
But that last part is all hearsay, right? Because there is no evidence, whatsoever, to support this allegation. So let’s look at the facts. Last year, Al-Dhafiri entered the country on a tourist visa from Doha in Qatar. He was able to obtain a working visa after working for a recruitment agency.
Records from the Bureau of Immigration also show that he and Sina had been in and out of the country several times.
Again, nothing to link them to terrorism except for what the FBI and the Kuwaiti government fed the NBI.
Even Aguirre was forced to admit that the two are not directly linked to any local terror group, saying they are still verifying what the couple had been up to during their stay.
“We are speculating why they are in the Philippines,” he told members of the media.
And yet, one national paper wrote “Terror attack foiled” in its headline. If that’s not fearmongering I don’t what is.
Let’s put it this way. Whatever crime Al-Dhafiri may have committed, he committed it in Kuwait. Not in Manila. Not in Davao. Not in Cebu. And that’s why the Kuwaiti government wants him badly.
It already asked the Philippine Government to deport him to Kuwait to face charges. Again, no word on what these will be.
But here in the Philippines, Al-Dhafiri and Sina’s only crime is their failure to present immigration papers. That’s it.