16 Feb 2021

Detained NZ woman may be deported back to New Zealand

From Midday Report, 12:12 pm on 16 February 2021

A security analyst says the New Zealand woman detained at the Syrian border on suspicion of Islamic State links may be deported back to New Zealand.

A 26-year-old New Zealand citizen and two children were taken to court at Hatay under security measures. Turkye's Ministry of National Defence said they tried to enter from Syria illegally.

Photo: AFP / Anadolu Agency

Turkey's Ministry of National Defence says they caught the woman, wanted under a so-called blue notice, trying to enter the country illegally from Syria with two children.

In a tweet, Turkish authorities labelled her a 'terrorist'.

Māni Dunlop spoke to the Director of the security consultancy 36th Parallel Assessments, Paul Buchanan, about what this woman may have been doing in Syria.