Explosive belt woman to be tried in Dubai

Thursday, Nov 14, 2013

Dubai: The State Security Prosecution has returned the case file of a woman who threatened to detonate what she said was an explosive belt to Dubai Public Prosecution (DPP) and she will be tried in Dubai.

“The Asian woman [33-year-old Z.I.H.] who wore a fake explosive belt and threatened to blow herself up inside the DPP’s building, has been referred to the Dubai Court of First Instance after the State Security Prosecution returned her case file back to us,” said Dubai Attorney-General Essam Eisa Al Humaidan.

“She and her accomplice [a male Gulf national, identified as M.A.] have been charged with threatening DPP’s visitors, staff and law enforcement officers through the use of explosives.”

In a media statement issued on Thursday, Al Humaidan said the two will be tried in the Dubai Courts. The statement did not disclose why the State Security Prosecution returned the case file to DPP.

Prosecution records say Z.I.H. threatened to blow herself up inside the DPP’s building over a dispute involving a paternity test for her ten-year-old child. She and her accomplice caused public disorder, hampered general safety and security, frightened the public and endangered people’s lives, according to prosecution records.

The incident took place on September 1.

“The defendants will remain in custody until a hearing is scheduled for them to stand trial before the Court of First Instance soon,” said Al Humaidan.

DPP media statements issued earlier did not identify the nationalities of the suspects.

However a media statement issued by the Dubai Media Office earlier identified the woman as an Uzbek national.

In a previous statement Al Humaidan, had said the incident created a media frenzy and incited public opinion.

“The woman walked into the customer services’ front desk at the DPP building with her son. She wore something that looked like an explosive suicide belt,” the statement said.

“She threatened to detonate the purported explosives if a DNA test to confirm the fatherhood of her child was not carried out. The woman wanted to prove that a Gulf national, named J.J.S., fathered her son,” said.

DPP’s building was evacuated for safety and precautionary measures.

The woman’s arrest, made by Dubai Police at around 1am, brought to an end the 13-hour stand-off.

By Bassam Zaza Legal and Court ?Correspondent