A British Columbia man has become the first person charged under a 2013 Canadian law that criminalizes travel for the purpose of terrorism.
The RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team on Wednesday identified the man as 25-year-old Hasibullah Yusufzai, of Burnaby, BC, a Vancouver suburb.
In a statement, the RCMP said Mr. Yusufzai left for Syria on Jan. 21 and is know to have travelled there to join Islamist fighters. It did not say what group he had allegedly joined or what evidence had led them to point to him in particular.
When a CBC-TV crew went to his apartment, his mother–from behind a closed door–said her son was not a terrorist.
His brother said Mr. Yusufzai went to Turkey to work in a restaurant because he thought he would be happier there than in a non-Moslem country.
The Canadian Intelligence Security Service says about 130 Canadians have joined terror groups overseas. Eighty have returned to Canada.
For reasons beyond our control, and for an undetermined period of time, our comment section is now closed. However, our social networks remain open to your contributions.