FNC member mistaken for Reem killer on social media

A photo of Afra Al Basti has been circulating, naming her as the "Reem Ghost".

Powered by automated translation

ABU DHABI // False rumours have been circulated on social media that the suspected killer of the American school teacher Ibolya Ryan last week was a Federal National Council member.

An official picture of Afra Al Basti (Dubai) from the FNC official website made the rounds on Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp on Monday. The picture included a statement that the photo was of the “Reem Ghost”.

Ms Al Basti, who is also head of the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children, has refuted these statements on her official Twitter page and claimed that the rumours were part of a Muslim Brotherhood campaign against her. Many of her followers have shown their support by praising her work as one of the leading women in the country.

Meanwhile, the Speaker of the FNC, Mohammed Al Murr, opened yesterday’s FNC session by noting the recent events and praising the rapid police response to the crime, allegedly committed by an Emirati woman in her late thirties now in police custody.

He added that the country would always preserve the peace of its homeland and would always stand against terrorism and extremism.

“I applaud security forces and Sheikh Saif [bin Zayed, Minister of Interior] for providing safety for all those living in the UAE,” he said.

A number of FNC members have passed along their condolences to the victim’s family.

osalem@thenational.ae