Reem Island killer’s husband charged with plotting terrorist attacks in Abu Dhabi

The husband of the Reem Island killer has been charged with plotting to blow up Yas Marina Circuit and other tourist attractions in the capital and planning to assassinate a member of the UAE royal family.

ABU DHABI // The husband of the woman executed for killing US teacher Ibolya Ryan on Reem Island plotted to blow up Yas Marina Circuit and planned an assassination, a court has been told.

M A H, 34, was charged in the Federal Supreme Court yesterday morning with seven terror-related offences. He was married to Alaa Al Hashemi, who was executed in July for killing Ms Ryan in a toilet at Boutik Mall in December last year.

Al Hashemi was also convicted of terror offences including the attempted murder of an Egyptian-American doctor by leaving a homemade bomb at his flat.

On Monday, the court heard her husband plotted to bomb Yas Marina Circuit and Ikea, and planned to target buses as they carried tourists along the Corniche and attack an American military base in the country.

He was accused of planning to assassinate one of the UAE’s leaders and of making explosives without authorisation.

The court heard he tried to join ISIL and gave cash to a member of Al Qaeda, knowing it would support terrorist activities.

He is said to have promoted Al Qaeda and ISIL online and posted pictures of ISIL’s flag and lectures from the extremist group’s leader, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.

He was also charged with accessing prohibited sites to learn how to make bombs, and other terrorist websites.

Yesterday he denied all charges against him. His family appointed the lawyer, Mohamed Al Azazi to represent him in court without his knowledge because he has not been in touch with his family.

The accused accepted the appointment, despite being appointed a lawyer by the court. He said he had been in solitary confinement for six months and wished to have a book, or a pen and paper.

He is said to have promoted Al Qaeda and ISIL online and posted pictures of ISIL’s flag and lectures from the extremist group’s leader, Abu Bakr Al Baghdadi.

He was also charged with accessing terrorists’ websites and prohibited sites to learn to make bombs.

On Monday he denied all the charges against him. His family appointed lawyer Mohamed Al Azazi to represent him in court without his knowledge because he had not been in contact with his family.

The accused accepted Mr Al Azazi as his counsel despite being given a court-appointed lawyer. He said he had been in solitary confinement for six months and wished to have a book, or a pen and paper.

The accused also said he had not seen his children in more than a year and wished that his family would be allowed to visit him.

At his wife’s trial, the court heard he was arrested on November 21 last year – the month before his wife murdered Ibolya Ryan. The couple were charged with sending money to terrorist organisations.

He was accused of sending money to a man named Musleh, an Al Qaeda member in Yemen. His wife was found guilty of providing the money.

She told prosecutors at her trial that she was motivated to commit the crimes because her husband had been detained by the authorities.

Her husband’s case was adjourned until January 18.