A man is to stand trial for the murder of a woman in the Republic of Ireland and possessing information likely to be of use to terrorists.
Habib Shah Shamel, 28, formerly of Cecil Street in Limerick, was brought to Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday from Maghaberry Prison where he has been on remand for almost two years. He was originally charged with the murder of Geila Ibram on April 4, 2023.
The 27-year-old victim’s mutilated body was discovered at an apartment block in the Dock Road area of Limerick. Ms Ibram, who was originally from Romania, died from multiple stab wounds inflicted to the neck, face and abdomen in a “vicious and frenzied attack”, according to police.
Shamel, an Afghani national, was later arrested in the Malone area of south Belfast. He has been charged with Ms Ibram’s murder under the Criminal Jurisdiction Act 1975, which allows the PSNI to prosecute in Northern Ireland if a suspect has travelled from another jurisdiction.
A previous court heard claims that he had arranged a “sexual exchange” with the victim on the day she died. CCTV footage allegedly showed him arriving at her property and then leaving again less than two minutes later.
Detectives claim he injured his hand during the alleged encounter and attended hospital in Limerick before travelling north by bus.
Shamel was subsequently charged under the Terrorism Act that on “April 6, 2023....he possessed a document or record containing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism”.
During a review hearing into the case last December, a prosecutor told Belfast Crown Court that the fresh terrorism charge related to a USB stick found on Shame following his arrest by the PSNI for the murder of Ms Ibram.
“In his possession was a USB device and on that there was a great deal of material which is of an Islamic terrorist nature,” said the prosecutor.
“A report from an expert on Islamic extremism has now been served on the defence.”
At Belfast Crown Court today (Tuesday), defence counsel Niall Hunt KC asked for Shamel’s arraignment on the murder and terrorism charges to be adjourned as there was no interpreter present to translate the charges for the defendant as he has “very limited English”.
Prosecution counsel David McDowell KC told Mr Justice O’Hara that he was not opposing the adjournment application. He said it was the Crown’s intention to apply to the court to have the terrorism charge joined with the murder charge into “one Bill of Indictment”.
“We allege one (the terrorism charge) is the motive for the other (the murder charge),” said Mr McDowell.
Asked by Mr Justice O’Hara was there a direct relationship between both indictments, Mr McDowell replied: “Yes, motive.”
The senior judge said he would review the case on Friday, April 11, 2025, when Shamel will be formally arraigned on the two charges he faces.
After being told by the prosecution that the trial would last up to three weeks, Mr Justice O’Hara said he would list the trial for the week commencing Monday, September 8, 2025.
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