Abu Dhabi: The Reem Island murder suspect claimed before the State Security Court yesterday that she has a mental illness and is possessed by an evil spirit that causes her to act without thinking.
The 30-year-old suspect, Ala’a B.H., denied all charges against her and requested that she be assessed by a doctor to confirm her claim.
She also said that she had been having hallucinations and seeing imaginary people since she was three years old.
“Please take into consideration my condition in jail as I tend to act without awareness and get hysterical at times,” she said.
The Emirati defendant is accused of murdering an American mother of three and kindergarten teacher, Ibolya Ryan, with a kitchen knife in the women’s bathroom of Boutik Mall on Reem Island last December. She is also believed to have planted a handmade bomb outside the home of an Egyptian-American family in the Khalidiya area in an attempt to kill them.
Ala’a reportedly set off the bomb but the device failed to explode due to a technical error.
The Public Prosecution charged the accused of collecting explosives without a licence, setting up and running a website named ‘Salma Bint Al Akwa’’ with the aim of promoting Daesh ideologies and publishing information with the intent of harming the reputation of the UAE, in addition to financing Al Qaida in Yemen knowing that this money would be used in conducting terrorist activities.
Session adjourned
Presiding judge Falah Al Hajeri adjourned the session until April 14 to listen to witness testimonies which the defendant’s lawyer requested. These include Johan Miri, a border control official, Lieutenant Colonel Juma’a Al Kaabi, Chief of the Homicide Section at the Abu Dhabi Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID), and Lieutenant Colonel Ali Juma who worked during the defendant’s interrogation. Additionally, the judge requested that the family of the deceased be present during the sessions.
The defendant was identified within 24 hours after the murder was committed and apprehended another 24 hours later.
Her Abu Dhabi home was raided by police and the vehicle she is believed to have used during the crimes showed traces of what appeared to be blood on the steering wheel.
The vehicle she drove had a UAE flag strategically draped on it to hide its licence number plate under the pretence of celebrating National Day that took place a day after the murder.
