Monday, Aug 15, 2016

Manama: The three Saudi sisters arrested last week as they were attempting to cross from Lebanon into neighbouring Syria to join terror groups have been referred to the competent court for legal action, a Saudi daily reported on Monday.

The seven children of the three sisters who were with them when they were prevented by the Lebanese authorities from continuing their way into Syria were taken to a social care centre, Okaz said.

The children were aged between one and 10 years.

The husband of one of the sisters had tipped the Saudi authorities about the departure of the group, telling them they planned to join terror groups in the conflict zone.

The interior ministry praised the Saudi husband and highlighted the importance of families and citizens in contributing to protecting the nation from terrorism.

The case of women taking their children to war zones reminded Saudis of the reports on May and Ameena, the two Saudi women who attempted two years ago to cross into neighbouring Yemen and join Al Qaeda

The two radical women were accompanied with six children as they attempted to sneak into Yemen, supported by three Yemeni people-smugglers. They were arrested by border security officers late at night

May and Ameena, two former public employees, had been earlier arrested alongside three other women in a case related to security, but were pardoned by the Saudi authorities.

A Saudi court this year sentenced two Saudi women, Om Awees and the Emigrant, to six years in jail each for supporting the Daesh terror group and barred them from leaving the country for six years after serving their term.

By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief

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