• Syrian man, Filipina arrested for terrorism plot • Factory for manufacturing explosive devices found • Shelter for intending suicide bombers busted
Mishal Al-Otaibi Saudi Gazette
RIYADH — A Filipina, held along with a Syrian national on Wednesday for involvement in terrorist activities, was wearing a suicide vest at the time of her arrest. “She would wear an explosive vest when the Syrian man was out of the house to threaten any intruders,” the Saudi Interior Ministry spokesman said on Saturday. The man, identified as Yasser Mohammed Shafiq Al-Barazi, had bobby-trapped his home in Al-Fayhaa district. It took security forces 12 hours to defuse the explosive devices and secured the premises. Al-Barazi, who entered the Kingdom in 2010, is believed to have forced the Filipna, identified as Lady Gioi Aban Bali Nang, to live with him after she ran away from her sponsor more than 15 months ago. “She helped him (Al-Barazi) in assembling the explosive devices and sewing suicide vests,” said the spokesman. “The house was booby-trapped and explosive devises were planted inside and outside. The culprits did not care about the safety of innocent neighbors. The police had to lure Al-Barazi out of the neighborhood to arrest him,” said the spokesman, adding that the security agencies also had to send in a team of experts to disarm the Filipina. The security agencies found at the Al-Fayhaa house an integrated factory for manufacturing explosive materials, vests and belts. They seized two explosive belts, a machine-gun with three magazines and 88 rounds, two hard disk drives and three cameras. Al-Barazi had also taken a second location in Al-Jazira district in Riyadh as a shelter for terrorists wanted by the security authorities. The security agencies found no one at the Al-Jazira location, but furniture and clothes were found indicating that “the host expected to receive guests”. The security agencies suspect that the Al-Jazira house was used as a refuge for suicide bombers planning attacks, said the spokesman. The raids were the second major security operation in the capital in the past month. Security forces captured two militants and seized weapons and a explosive vest in raids on Sept. 15. The Security authorities said that they have arrested a total of 135 Syrian expatriates for being involved in terrorist activities during the past 12 years. This year alone, 62 terrorists and supporters of Daesh (the so-called IS) were arrested. Most of the terrorists were Saudis, Yemenis and Syrians.
