UAE court hears charges against alleged terrorist supporter

Emirati defendant M.A.H. appeared Monday at the United Arab Emirate's court over charges related to supporting al-Qaida and IS (Islamic State)-affiliated terrorist groups.

M.A.H. was also married to Alaa Al-Hashemi, who, on December 1, 2014, killed a Hungarian-American kindergarten teacher and mother of two, Ibolya Ryan, in a shopping mall's bathroom, on Abu Dhabi's Reem island.

The Emirati woman, dubbed by local UAE media as the "ghost of Al-Reem" island, due to the fact that she was wearing a full veil while committing the crime, was sentenced to death by the UAE's Supreme Federal Court, and executed by firing squad on July 14.

The husband was arrested on November 21, 2014, days before his wife committed the crime to "avenge" her husband's detainment.

M.A.H. is charged with attempting to join the IS group, as well as masterminding "terrorism crimes" in the UAE.

The UAE daily, The National, reported that the suspect was also charged with manufacturing home-made explosives.

Moreover, M.A.H. is believed to be behind an assassination plot of a member of the UAE's political leadership.

The defendant allegedly posted pictures of IS's black flag along with propaganda from the group's leader, Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi, on the Internet, according to the report.

The couple are also charged with funding terrorist organizations, declared the The National's report.

During the court session, M.A.H. was also charged with plotting to blow up the Yas Marina Circuit arena, the location of the annual Abu Dhabi Formula One Grand Prix in November, along with other tourist sites in the city. Endit