Prosecutors in Canada have filed terrorism charges against a man suspected of mowing down a Muslim family with a pick-up truck, in an act described by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “terrorist.”
According to officials, four members of the Afzaal family — a man and his wife, their teenage daughter, and his mother — were out for a stroll in London, Ontario on June 6 when they were deliberately struck by a truck driver.
Prosecutors said during a brief hearing that they were adding terrorist charges to the four counts of premeditated murder and one count of attempted murder that Nathaniel Veltman, 20, was charged with last week.
“The federal and provincial attorneys general provided their consent to commence terrorism proceedings, alleging that the murders and the attempted murder also constitute terrorist activity,” the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said in a statement after the hearing.
Veltman, who has no criminal history and is not known to be affiliated with any extremist groups, informed the court through video connection that he did not have a lawyer. He still hasn’t entered a plea.
The Afzaals’ nine-year-old daughter was critically hurt but survived the attack in their community in London, some 125 miles (200 kilometres) southwest of Toronto.
“This was not a random act of violence. This was a hate-motivated terrorist attack in the heart of one of our communities “During an emotional statement in the House of Commons, Trudeau remarked.
The incident has sparked debate about Islamophobia’s prevalence in Canada, as well as concern among Muslims that visible evidence of religious affiliation might make a person a target.
It was the worst anti-Muslim act in Canada since six people were killed in a massacre at a mosque in Quebec City in 2017.
