UAE woman sentenced to death for killing US teacher

ABU DHABI: A United Arab Emirates court sentenced an Emirati woman to death on Monday after convicting her of the jihadist-inspired murder of an American teacher, Abu Dhabi newspaper The National reported.

Alaa Bader al-Hashemi, 30, was found guilty of stabbing to death school teacher Ibolya Ryan, 47, in a shopping mall toilet, the paper said.

She was also convicted of "creating a handmade bomb" she placed in front of an Egyptian-American doctor´s home, it added.

The attacks took place within hours of each other in the UAE capital on December 1.

Tracked down using CCTV footage of her going into and out of the restroom where the teacher´s murder took place and near the doctor´s building, Hashemi was arrested 48 hours later.

She was dressed in black from head-to-toe as she carried out both attacks.

Hashemi was arrested at her home where her car was found with blood on the steering wheel and bomb making materials inside.

The National said that Hashemi "was also found guilty of sending money to Al-Qaeda in Yemen, knowing the funds would be used in terrorist acts".

The ruling was made by the Federal Supreme Court in Abu Dhabi, which means it cannot be appealed.

The president can, however, decide to overturn the sentence or reduce it.

Hashemi, surrounded by four police officers, "showed no emotion as the verdict and sentence were announced," the paper said.

"As she was led from court she smiled and waved at her father and brother, who were in court to witness the proceedings."