 On May 29, 2006, New Zealand authorities raided Ali's Palmerston North home, and on May 30 he was deported back to Saudi Arabia under escort.On June 10, 2006 the New Zealand government released a statement saying that Ali was deported because he "posed a threat to national security" and confirmed that he had lived and trained in Phoenix, Arizona, USA with fellow Saudi Hani Hanjour in the months leading up to the September 11, 2001 attacks.It was only the second time that section 72 of the New Zealand Immigration Act has been used to deport someone.