Mohammed El Shaer of Windsor, Ont. could be issued rare terrorism peace bond
Two-day trial for Mohamed El Shaer is scheduled to resume Thursday
The trial for a high-risk traveller from Windsor, Ont., who faces being placed under a terrorism peace bond, was postponed Wednesday morning.
Mohamed El Shaer became one of few Canadians to be arrested on a provision in the country's new anti-terrorism law when he was picked up by the RCMP in June.
- Mohammed El Shaer sentenced for passport fraud
- Windsor's Mohamed El Shaer arrested on terrorism peace bond
His trial was adjourned until Thursday.
At the time of his latest arrest in June, El Shaer had just finished serving a 118-day sentence for passport fraud and breaching his probation.
The terrorism peace bond, which he could be placed under, is used for people who police believe could leave Canada to participate in terrorist activity.
The same restrictions were put on known ISIS supporter Aaron Driver, who was gunned down by police in Strathroy, Ont., August 10.
Anti-terrorism provision criticized
Some legal experts say the anti-terrorism provision is both redundant and over-powerful, making it easier for police to arrest people who haven't committed a crime.
The provision makes it easier for police to bring terror suspects before a judge, who can then issue the peace bond for up to 12 months. If a person has a previous terrorism conviction, the peace bond can be issued for up to five years.
The court could then issue a host of restrictions requiring the person to forfeit a passport, obey curfew, participate in treatment programs and wear electronic monitoring devices.
Although the subject has to agree to sign the peace bond, they face up to a year of prison time if they choose not to.
Mohamed El Shaer last appeared in Superior Court of Justice in Windsor on Aug. 29. Details of his case are protected by a publication ban. A two-day trial is scheduled to last until Thursday.
The Windsor man first landed in jail in the winter of 2014, when he pleaded guilty to passport fraud. While on probation for that sentence, he left the country again in early 2015.
El Shaer was publicly identified by the RCMP as being on a list of high-risk travellers. He was sentenced to 118 days in jail in March after pleading guilty to passport fraud and breaching his probation.