A series of potential bombings against US military forces were foiled when the pregnant widow of a former ISIS commander and her new bombmaker boyfriend were arrested, a new report claims.
Hussein Aldhafiri and Rahaf Zina Dhafiri were taken into custody by Philippines intelligence agents, along with police and immigration authorities, in Manilla last month.
The arrests were announced last week, with officials saying they waited to do so in order to avoid potentially bringing forward any planned attacks.
And now, Kuwait's newspaper al-Rai newspaper has reported the suspects were planning to carry out bombings against US military forces in Kuwait.
A series of potential bombings against US military forces were foiled after ISIS extremists were arrested, a new report claims. Pictured are alleged extremists, Hussein Aldhafiri (right) and Rahaf Zina Dhafiri (left)
They were also allegedly plotting a suicide attack on a Shi'ite Muslim meeting hall. The newspaper is known to have close ties to the security services.
Aldhafiri, a 40-year-old Kuwaiti, was allegedly an ISIS bombmaker who was helping plot attacks in Kuwait and possibly in the Philippines, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said.
Dhafiri, a 27-year-old Syrian, was reportedly the widow of a top ISIS commander in Syria and later became Aldhafiri's partner. After her arrest, she told authorities that she was pregnant and she was sent to a hospital.
Al-Rai said Kuwaiti security forces also arrested a Syrian chemistry teacher suspected of involvement with the plots.
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Kuwait's newspaper al-Rai newspaper has reported the suspects were planning to carry out bombings against US military forces in Kuwait. Pictured are US and GCC soldiers during a training exercise in Kuwait in last week
Aldhafiri (pictured), a 40-year-old Kuwaiti, was allegedly an ISIS bombmaker who was helping plot attacks in Kuwait and possibly in the Philippines
A spokesman for the US Embassy in Kuwait referred queries to Kuwaiti authorities. Kuwaiti security officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
A number of American military bases are located in Kuwait.
The gulf country suffered its deadliest militant attack in decades when a Saudi suicide bomber blew himself up inside a packed Shi'ite mosque in June 2015, killing 27 people.
ISIS later claimed responsibility for the bombing.
Dhafiri (pictured), a 27-year-old Syrian, was reportedly the widow of a top ISIS commander in Syria and later became Aldhafiri's partner
Kuwaiti national Husayn Al-Dhafiri (right) and Syrian national Rahaf Zina are presented at a press conference at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila on April 6