Canada: After a knife attack, a man charged with terrorism

Abdul Aziz Kawam was charged with terrorism by Canadian justice Monday, April 3, after perpetrating a stabbing attack on a bus, in British Columbia, in western Canada

Canada: After a knife attack, a man charged with terrorism

Abdul Aziz Kawam was charged with terrorism by Canadian justice Monday, April 3, after perpetrating a stabbing attack on a bus, in British Columbia, in western Canada. According to court documents, this man faces four counts, including attempted murder and assault, committed "for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group, namely the Islamic State", documents say filed by the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

The suspect first threatened a man at a bus stop by putting a knife to his throat on Saturday morning near the town of Surrey, in the remote suburbs of Vancouver, local authorities said. The victim, however, managed to flee by pushing the attacker, said Amanda Steed, spokesperson for the Metro Vancouver Transit Police in an email to AFP.

Shortly after, Abdul Aziz Kawam boarded a bus where he allegedly clashed with another passenger. "During the altercation, one of the men allegedly pulled out a knife and slit the other's throat," police said. Seriously injured, the victim underwent emergency surgery and is expected to recover.

"During our investigation, it was determined that the suspect made several disturbing comments," Amanda Steed said of the charges against the suspect, adding that "the victims and the suspect didn't know each other." Abdul Aziz Kawam appeared Monday morning in a provincial court.

In recent years, Canada has experienced a succession of events of rare violence for the country. In September, a massive manhunt took place in central Saskatchewan after stabbings that left 10 dead and 18 injured mostly in an Indigenous community. In June 2021, a man was charged with terrorism after killing four members of a Muslim family in a car-ramming attack in London, Ontario.