Abdoulaye Dia and Salem Rekoub face serious criminal charges

In the United States, Abdoulaye Dia, a Guinean national who entered the country illegally via Arizona in late 2023, has been arrested in Maryland. He faces charges of first-degree rape, kidnapping, and second-degree assault following the alleged sexual assault of a 17-year-old passenger in a Silver Spring parking lot. Authorities noted that Dia had a prior arrest in New York City in June for sexual abuse involving a minor.

In the United Kingdom, Salem Rekoub, a 28-year-old Algerian national, has been sentenced to 21 years in prison. Rekoub, who was working unlawfully as a Deliveroo rider, was convicted of three counts of rape and two counts of assault by penetration. The attack occurred in Chelsea, London, after Rekoub targeted a woman who had collapsed at a bus stop. CCTV footage showed Rekoub following the victim’s ambulance to a hospital in an attempt to locate her.