Kanazawa school believes Iraqi teacher is murder suspect wanted in Taiwan

ISHIKAWA (TR) – A technical school in Kanazawa City believes that a male Iraqi teacher is the same person wanted for the murder of his parents-in-law in Taiwan, reports TV Asahi (May 8).

According to police in Taiwan, Ali Hammad Jumaah, 31, fatally strangled both of the parents of his wife, both aged in their 70s, during an argument at their residence in Taipei on the night of April 29. The following day, he took a flight to Japan with his 1-year-old son.

Earlier this month, Taiwanese authorities said that they are seeking the whereabouts of Jumaah, who is an English teacher at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology.

In speaking with TV Asahi, the school confirmed that it has a teacher by the same name on its staff who has been out of contact since the incident. “Since we cannot get in touch with the teacher, we are forced to think that he is the same person suspected in this case,” a representative of the school said.

The school later suspended Jumaah from his duties for an indefinite period. It also shut down until re-opening on May 8.

Interpol

On May 2, prosecutors in Taiwan said that they have informed immigration authorities to arrest Jumaah should he attempt to re-enter Taiwan. As well, Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau has requested the assistance of Interpol in locating Jumaah.

Authorities in Taiwan said that Jumaah has not returned to his residence in Kanazawa City. As well, there is no record of him leaving Japan, leading them to believe he remains in the country, which does not have an extradition agreement with Taiwan.

Arrived in Taiwan in March

According to prosecutors and media in Taiwan, Jumaah met his wife, whose family name is Hsiao, in the U.S. while they were both students. After Jumaah obtained a master’s degree in teaching English as a second language, he became employed at the Kanazawa Institute of Technology. Jumaah and Hsiao married two years ago.

Earlier this year, Hsiao and her son went to Taiwan with the help of her parents after she was a victim of domestic violence by Jumaah. Hsiao and her son then stayed at the residence of her parents, located in the Shihlin district of Taipei, local media reported.

Jumaah arrived in Taiwan from Japan on March 26 to meet with his Taiwanese wife, whose family name is Hsiao, to discuss divorce and the custody of their son.

On the night of the incident, Hsiao was not present at the residence, a request made by her parents for her safety, local media said. After the dispute began, Jumaah allegedly strangled both of his parents-in-law and departed with the boy.