Shocked after Reem ghost terror crime: Husband

Abu Dhabi - Alaa Al Hashemi, who was dubbed Reem Island Ghost, was executed in July last year by firing squad.

The husband of a woman - who was executed for murdering an American teacher in an Abu Dhabi mall - has claimed in court that he had no knowledge of the terror crimes committed by his wife.
"My client was shocked when he learned that a (terror) crime was planned from his residence, which made him confused and perplexed and ... he began to think about the future of his six children, the eldest of whom was no older than nine years, while the youngest was just six months old," his lawyer, Mohammed Al Azazi, said at the Federal Supreme Court on Monday.
Alaa Al Hashemi, who was dubbed Reem Island Ghost, was executed in July last year by firing squad.
The 30-year-old was also convicted of bomb-making and sending money to Al Qaeda in Yemen.
According to Al Azazi, his client was left to shoulder the responsibility for the crimes that were committed by his wife.
The husband, M.A.S, a 34-year-old Emirati, has been charged by the public prosecution for planning assassination bids on VIPs of the country as well as planning terror crimes on Abu Dhabi's Yas Island.
The prosecution levelled seven charges against M.A.S., an Emirati aged 34, for planning to perpetuate terror crimes that included planting bombs in Yas Marina circuit and in buses ferrying foreign tourists on Abu Dhabi Corniche.
His lawyer said the accusations were not proven.
He claimed the statements of his client in all stages of the interrogation were not valid as they were made under "duress and force".
"The charges were mere words with no concrete evidence ... His confessions came as a result of the stress of thinking of his children's future ... The evidence presented contradicted the technical evidence and documents available in the dossier of the case," he said.
The lawyer claimed that his client could never be radicalised or adopt extremist or terrorist ideologies.
"His nature, and his aim to provide a decent living to his family did not match with the charges pressed against him. He was the winner of a bodybuilding award, was married with six children and was building a house with indoor swimming pool that cost him nearly Dh4 million," Al Azazi said
He argued that there was no proof the suspect was planning to join a terrorist group, or planning to use explosives to target vital facilities in Abu Dhabi. "The chemical substances seized from the residence of my client were ... inactive and cannot be used in making explosives, even if they are mixed with other substances. They are used in treating water at swimming pools or for painting metal, and also for earth leveling."
The defendant told the court that it was his wife who wrote posts and articles on banned blogs and forums, using his IP address and user name. "My computer is completely free of any insults, and I have no electronic account, except those linked to my place of work."
Reem Island ghost case
> Alaa Al Hashemi, 30, was executed in July 2015
> She was found guilty of stabbing American teacher Ibolya Ryan to death with a large kitchen knife in a toilet cubicle at Boutik Mall in December 2014
> She was also convicted of making a handmade bomb that she planted in front of an apartment owned by an Egyptian-American doctor
> She used an online account to spread information that ridiculed and harmed the UAE
> She sent money to Al Qaeda in Yemen, knowing that it would be used to fund terrorist acts
Charges against husband
> Planning assassination bids on VIPs of the country
> Planning to bomb Yas Marina circuit, and buses ferrying foreign tourists on Abu Dhabi Corniche
> Making bombs to carry out his terror plans
> Trying to join Daesh group
> Transferring funds to Al Qaeda
> Promoting Daesh online
malzarooni@khaleejtimes.com