The suspect in a throat-slashing aboard a Surrey transit bus this weekend is facing new charges related to terrorism.
The knife attack happened on the morning of April 1 after an altercation between two passengers. The victim was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries, and police don’t believe the two men knew each other.
Abdul Aziz Kawam has been charged with attempted murder, possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and assault with a weapon. According to information on BC’s online court registry, prosecutors believe those charges could all be offences for the benefit of a terrorist group.
BC CSO
Officials haven’t said what organization he’s believed to be associated with.
Metro Vancouver Transit Police spokesperson Const. Amanda Steed said the BC RCMP have now taken over the investigation.
“The investigation has determined that concerning comments were made by the suspect, which is why the BC RCMP were contacted by Transit Police,” she said.
Terrorism charges are relatively rare in Canada, with fewer than 70 individuals being charged with terror-related offences since the Anti-Terrorism Act was introduced in 2001.
Previous instances of terrorism charges include a man alleged to have targeted a Muslim family in a London, Ontario van attack; an Ontario teen with alleged ties to a neo-Nazi group who pled guilty to hate crime charges against the transgender community; and a 17-year-old charged in a deadly attack at a Toronto massage parlour that was apparently driven by incel ideology.
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