Fear terrorist: a Montreal acquitted of the most serious

Photo MICHAËL NGUYEN
Hasnat Miftahul Syed, 39 years old, accompanied by his lawyer Nicolas Welt.

Michael Nguyen

Tuesday, march 20, 2018 11:05

UPDATE
Tuesday, march 20, 2018 11:05

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A Montrealer who had avenged a colleague by pretending to be a terrorist was acquitted of fear is a terrorist because of a legal formality, but he was still found guilty of wrongdoing.

“It is disappointing, because the judge does not grant any credibility to the accused,” said the prosecutor Carolyne Paquin on Tuesday at the palais de justice of Montreal.

A few minutes earlier, Hasnat Miftahul Syed, 39 years old, had just been acquitted of the charge, the most serious with which he was faced, or to have committed an act that caused them to fear that terrorist activities are conducted. However, he would rather have be accused of having submitted false information.

Although this is not the first time that accusations of fears terrorists have been filed in Quebec, there is virtually no case law in this type of case. The prosecutor Carolyne Paquin was brought to the court just before the trial, after the charges against Syed have been filed.

Revenge

The whole affair began in the summer of 2016, when Syed could not endure more than one of his colleagues who criticized him for his mistakes at work. Syed, a seller in a shipping company, had even received an e-mail from his supervisor advising him to be more effective at work.

To avenge this colleague, Syed has bought a prepaid phone to contact a counter-terrorism unit american. Knowing that his colleague was about to leave on vacation to New York, he then made believe he was going to deliver weapons and explosives.

“He is preparing a terrorist act “, said Syed, who has called three times to the us authorities.

An investigation was immediately launched by the Royal Canadian mounted police.

“The victim was arrested in front of his family, at his home “, reminded Me of Paquin.

But quickly the authorities realized their suspect had done nothing wrong. The investigation turned to Syed for having maliciously denounced an innocent man.

Defence

At trial, Syed has tried to make believe that he had actually information about his colleague. The accused has attempted to make people believe that his colleague had already spoken of a truck filled with explosives, and that other people had talked about transport of weapons.

The judge Robert Marchi has swept this version of the reverse side of the hand, calling it ” incredible “.

“It would be incredible that a supposed terrorist speaks openly in front of the other,” noted the magistrate recalled that the accused had not made any check with other colleagues before you call anonymously to the FBI.

But even if Syed was acquitted of fear of terrorism, it has nevertheless been found guilty of misdeeds, for making start an investigation knowing that the information he had provided was false.

Syed will return to court next week for oral arguments on sentence, but no matter the sentence, either in the community or behind bars, his lawyer Nicolas Welt ensures that his client will be “marked” by the stigma of a criminal record.