Alaa al-Hashemi, the Emirati woman accused of killing American kindergarten teacher Ibolya Ryan in Boutik Mall on Abu Dhabi’s Reem Island, has been sentenced to death.

Al-Hashemi was convicted of killing the teacher with a kitchen knife in December 2014.

She was also convicted of planting a nail bomb outside the home of an Egyptian-American doctor. The bomb failed to explode. The court also found her guilty of disseminating terrorist material and contributing money to a terrorist group.

“These crimes, whether committed by an individual or a group, have exposed public security and safety to danger,” said Judge Falah al-Hajri. “They also threaten the constitution and laws, and therefore it is necessary to tackle such actions.”

He called for a new anti-terrorism law.

Concerns have been raised over security and radicalisation in the Gulf following mosque bombings in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia.