US teacher killing: Abu Dhabi hunts 'Reem Island Ghost' after shopping mall stabbing
The suspect in the stabbing death of an American kindergarten teacher in an Abu Dhabi shopping mall has been dubbed the "Reem Island ghost." Ibolya Ryan was attacked in a ladies' toilet by an assailant wearing a black robe and full-face veil.
The Abu Dhabi Interior Ministry has urged the public to come
forward with information related to the killing of Ryan, a
47-year-old divorced mother of three, which took place in a
high-end mall in the capital Monday, NBC reported.
The attacker's entry and exit from the mall’s bathroom was caught
on surveillance CCTV footage released by authorities, leaving
open the possibility that the bulky figure dressed head-to-toe in
a traditional black robe (abaya, traditionally worn by local
Emirati women) could have been a man in disguise.
The Ministry of Interior urged the public to call 8002626 to provide any information related to the case http://t.co/6NxPYHn6vM
— MOI_UAE (@AbuDhabiPolice) December 4, 2014
"Investigations are still under way to identify the suspect's
identity and gender. Witnesses reported that the culprit was
fully covered wearing an abaya, black gloves and face veil,"
police said in a statement Tuesday.
Ryan’s 11-year-old twin boys lived with her in Abu Dhabi, while
her 15-year-old daughter attends a boarding school in Europe,
where the children’s father lives.
Police said they have recovered the murder weapon, a "sharp tool"
akin to a kitchen knife.
On the surveillance footage, the robed suspect is seen stepping
off an elevator, briefly interacting with a security guard,
picking up a newspaper, and walking toward the restroom.
According to the time stamp on the video, around 90 minutes later
the suspected attacker runs back into the lobby where bystanders
scatter. The assailant shakes off one woman who stands in the way
trying to stop the suspect, and takes an elevator to an
underground parking lot before escaping. The tape ends with
disturbing footage of a bloody trail of footprints leading from
one of the restroom stalls.
"The injured woman was immediately rushed to Sheikh Khalifa
Medical City where she succumbed to the injuries she sustained in
the attack," Abu Dhabi police said in a statement.
American teacher murdered in Abu Dhabi shopping mall http://t.co/fsRNN95uV9#abc15pic.twitter.com/Z4FQxQ297u
— ABC15 Arizona (@abc15) December 4, 2014
Ryan's online profile for Footprints Recruiting says she is an
ethnic Hungarian, born and raised in Romania, who taught in four
countries over the past 15 years. She was trained as a teacher in
the US and Europe.
"I wanted to experience the Arab world and experience their
culture and daily life," Ryan wrote in a section that asked
what made her teaching abroad experience unique. She said she was
highly interested in "other languages," and was eager to
gain "some proficiency in Arabic."
"I am working in a very traditional neighborhood and it is
very unique to learn and understand their culture."
Ryan, called Ibi by her friends, writes about her life in Abu
Dhabi: "I would say be positive, open minded, flexible and
take every challenge as a learning experience. Also be thankful
that you are able to have the experience of working abroad; I
think at the end it makes you not just learn about others but
also about yourself."
Ryan worked as a special education teacher in Denver from 1997 to
2001 and for a wireless company for over three years before
returning to teaching in Hungary, Austria and Abu Dhabi.
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According to her LinkedIn profile, she started work as a teacher
in Abu Dhabi in September 2013.
Police said Ryan's 11-year-old twins are being cared for by
authorities until their father arrives from abroad. The US
Embassy in Abu Dhabi said it was "working with all the
appropriate authorities to seek further information" about
the killing.
In late October, the US Embassy in the United Arab Emirates
posted a statement saying that an anonymous post on a jihadist
web forum had called for attacks on American teachers in the
region, but that it had no credible evidence of any such plots.
"US citizens residing in or visiting the UAE should remain
vigilant regarding their personal security and be alert to local
security developments," the statement said.