‘Westernized’ daughter case: Dad sent to Ariz.

updated 10:12 p.m. ET Oct. 31, 2009

PEORIA, Ariz. - An Iraqi immigrant accused of running down his daughter with his car because she was becoming "too Westernized" was returned to Arizona Saturday to face aggravated assault charges.

Faleh Almaleki was arrested Thursday when he arrived at Atlanta's airport, sent from the United Kingdom after authorities denied him entrance. He was returned to the Phoenix-area city of Peoria, booked and taken to a county jail.

He is accused of striking and then running over his 20-year-old daughter and her boyfriend's mother with his Jeep on Oct. 20 as the women were walking across a Peoria parking lot.

Noor Almaleki remains hospitalized in serious condition after undergoing spinal surgery. The other woman, 43-year-old Amal Khalaf, is in serious but stable condition, according to family members.

Police said the Almalekis moved to Peoria from Iraq in the mid-1990s.

Peoria Police Dept. Faleh Hassan Almaleki

Family members said Noor Almaleki had been living with her boyfriend and Khalaf, and Faleh Almaleki was upset that his daughter had become too "Westernized," had failed to live by traditional Muslim values and had disrespected the family.

After the incident, authorities said Almaleki went to Mexico. He eventually flew to London, but United Kingdom Port of Entry authorities denied him entry into the country.

They contacted U.S. authorities and Almaleki was put on a flight back to Atlanta, where he was arrested Thursday.

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