Quebecer Ismael Habib faces terrorism-related charge
CBC News | Posted: March 11, 2016 2:52 PM | Last Updated: March 11, 2016
28-year-old charged with attempting to leave Canada for terror-related activities
A 28-year-old Quebec man has been charged with attempting to leave Canada to participate in the activities of a terrorist group.
Ismael Habib made a brief court appearance in Montreal on Friday morning to be formally charged.
The RCMP has also charged him with making a false statement to obtain a passport.
- Suspected jihadist arrested in Gatineau on unrelated charges
- Warrant issued for Ismael Habib under suspicion of terrorism
Habib was initially arrested in Gatineau last week and charged with criminal harassment, uttering threats and forging documents.
A bail hearing must be held in Gatineau for those charges before a court will decide whether to grant Habib bail on the terrorism-related charges.
"We're opposing bail," Crown prosecutor Lynne Décarie said following Habib's court appearance. "It will be up to a judge to decide, but the Crown doesn't believe he should get bail."
He was transferred to Montreal because of the RCMP investigation.
Habib's legal address is in the Montreal neighbourhood of Anjou, but the RCMP said he lives Gatineau.
He will be back in court March 14 to set a date for the Montreal bail hearing. The Gatineau bail hearing takes place on March 19.
Décarie declined to provide additional details about the case, such as Habib's intended destination. But she didn't rule out the possibility that further charges could be laid.
"It's in constant evolution," she said of the case. "The investigation is ongoing. And all this has to be analyzed in a very short time."