Reem Island accused’s lawyer calls non-muslim witness accounts ‘invalid’

The defense lawyer in the Abu Dhabi Reem Island murder case has argued that testimonials of witnesses are invalid as they are non-Muslims.

“The law states cases of murder according to Sharia law are not proven unless they are pleaded by the council of judges, testimony of two male witnesses, or by the oath,” defense lawyer Abdulqader Al Haithami was quoted as saying in The National.

“The oath taken by the witnesses is invalid as they are not Muslim.”

The 30-year old Alaa Bader Al Hashemi has been accused of stabbing to death America schoolteacher Ibolya Ryan in the toilet of a mall in Abu Dhabi in December last year.
She is currently being tried by the Federal Supreme Court where the defense team is presenting arguments after prosecution.

Al Hashemi is also accused of planting an explosive device at the doorstep of another Abu Dhabi resident and is charged on various counts of promoting terrorist propaganda, donating funds to a terrorist organisation and spreading false information about the country.

The defense lawyer also said that reports disproving Al Hashemi’s claims of being mentally ill were “contradictory”.

In a previous trial, the court called for a medical examination of Al Hashemi after she confessed to hearing voices that directed her to do certain things. Medical professionals cleared her of suffering from any mental or emotional issues after a check-up.

However Al Haithami argued that the first report on al Hashemi’s mental health showed that the accused was suffering.

“The first report shows she is suffering from many emotional and mental issues and said it was crucial to have the defendant referred to an internal mental department under strict notice, while the other found her responsible of her actions,” he said.

The lawyer noted that many other reports showed that Al Hashemi had “childish behaviours” and did not understand the gravity of the acts she committed.

“This proves the contradiction of the reports which is why I am insisting my client is referred to a specialised hospital,” The National quoted him as saying during proceedings.

Al Haithami also added that the bomb, which she had allegedly set off, had failed to explode, indicating that her actions were “amateurish”.

Dubbed Reem Island ghost, Al Hashemi – dressed in an abaya, black gloves and a niqab – allegedly lured Ryan into a toilet stall and attacked her in it.

She was arrested within 48 hours of the crime by the local police, who identified her with the help of CCTV footage.