Speaking on Wednesday DCI Neil Higginson, from the GMP Major Incident Team, said: “More than a decade after her murder, we now strongly believe we have located Rania’s body and are finally able to provide closure to her family, who we know have endured so much pain and grief over the years.
He said Khatib was motivated by “his outrage and jealousy that Rania would attempt to take control of her own life and live a more westernised life, after suffering years of abuse at his hands.
Alayed’s son Yazan, speaking on behalf of their family, said: “The discovery of my mother’s remains more than a decade onwards has come as a surreal surprise to me and my family.
The trial judge, Mr Justice Leggatt, said Alayed had suffered years of abuse, telling her killer: “The contempt you showed for Rania in death matched the contempt of how you treated her in life.”.
After Khatib was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 20 years, a police detective involved in the case said: “Make no mistake, this was an ‘honour’ killing.”.
