Netherlands asks Turkey to extradite suspected Apeldoorn jihadist
The Dutch authorities asked Turkey to extradite suspected Dutch jihadist Xaviera S. to the Netherlands. She was one of 14 suspected ISIS members arrested in Turkey on Tuesday.
Wim de Bruin of the Public Prosecution service confirmed the extradition request to newspaper AD. According to him, the Dutch authorities want to prosecute all Dutch suspected of participating in a terrorist organizations in the Netherlands.
He could not say when or whether Turkey will agree to this request. "It is up to that country to determine what happens to suspects they have arrested. Two weeks ago two people came to the Netherlands who were put on the plane by Turkey. But we also asked for the extradition of two boys on which Turkey answered 'no'. They want to try them themselves." De Bruin said.
De Bruin added that Xaviera S. is receiving consular assistance from the Dutch embassy in Turkey and that contact was made with her family.
S. is one of around 280 Dutch who traveled to Syria or Iraq to support terrorist organization Islamic State in the establishment of its caliphate. Around 45 of them has since returned to the Netherlands.
According to AD, the now 24-year-old woman converted to Islam following a difficult childhood and ending up on the street with her son in 2012. How she became radicalized is not clear. The municipality of Apeldoorn confirmed to AD that the one resident who left to join ISIS is no longer registered as a citizen of the city, but would name no names.