Abu Dhabi police arrested a female suspect in the killing of American teacher Ibolya Ryan, who was stabbed to death in a mall on Dec. 1.

Ibolya Ryan Killed In Abu Dhabi

Ryan, 47, was a teacher who moved to Abu Dhabi with her 11-year-old twin sons in September of 2013 – she also has a 15-year-old daughter attending boarding school in Europe. She was stabbed in a public bathroom at an Abu Dhabi mall by someone wearing a black abayah, covering the suspect completely.

Arrest Made In Murder Of Ibolya Ryan

Police apprehended a suspect a few days later, and announced on Thursday that the woman had confessed to the crime. The suspect reportedly also tried to plant a homemade bomb in the home of an American doctor, but security found and disabled the bomb before it went off. Authorities stated that materials used to create explosives were found in the suspect’s possession.

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“She aimed to create chaos, shake the security in the country, and terrorize people in the UAE,” police said on Thursday.

Authorities believe that the woman, identified as 38-year-old Dalal al Hashemi, a United Arab Emirates citizen, was specifically targeting Americans. Police are currently trying to determine whether or not Hashemi acted alone or as part of a wider group.

Article by Olivia Truffaut-Wong

Olivia Truffaut-Wong was born and raised in Berkeley, California, where she developed her love of all things entertainment. After moving to New York City to earn her degree in Film Studies, she stayed on the East Coast to follow her passion and become an entertainment writer. She lives on a diet of television, movies and food.