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The woman at the centre of the mid air drama on a flight from Blenheim to Christchurch is named Aisha - her muslim name according to sources in the Blenheim Muslim community.
Described as Somali, she arrived in the town three years ago after emigrating from Kenya with her deaf sister.
The 33-year old Somalian woman is well known to the Blenheim Muslim community although they vehemently deny she is a practicing Muslim.
"She's definitely not part of our community," says Zayd Blissett, Blenheim Muslim Community spokesman.
The cab driver who took her to the airport on Friday morning remembers her well.
"Thought it was the first job of the day. A Somali woman hopped in the taxi and I went to the airport, and she was very nervous and very, very strange all the way out there," says Colin, the driver.
Blenheim police say she is known to them after an incident where a
A Somalian family say the women involved in the airplane incident confronted them in the Blenheim town centre and threatened them. And they complained to the Blenheim police about it.
ONE News understands the woman sometimes works at the local vineyards and is transient.
"The last I heard, she was in a backpackers. But I don't really want to know where she lives," says Blissett.
Ethnic Affairs Minister Chris Carter met with members of the Somali community in Christchurch and says its leaders were appalled that someone from their community was responsible for the incident.
Carter says they have asked that people don't judge the whole community by the actions of a single individual.
The woman at the centre of the allegations is a regular around town but those who know her say they had not seen or heard of her for a while, until Friday.
