Police say 5 pedestrians deliberately run down in London were targeted because they were Muslims
- Thread starter B00Mer
- Start date
That's only because ...as Jagmeet insists....Canada is a violent, racist country, where"Muslims can’t walk down the streets if they wear a hijab because THEY WILL BE KILLED!!!" What do you expect Muslims to do...just put up with being killed in the streets by average Canadians?
Truth is...Jagmeet's comments are irresponsible, insulting, incredibly dangerous, and his disgusting hate and hyped up antagonism creates the seeds for violence. He claims to be trying to fight for the cause, but in reality he's using this for political gain by dividing Canadians, creating hate and division, not speaking out against it. Talk like this does precisely nothing to contribute to a solution it only fires people up and puts more people in danger.
Feds will soon crack down on online hate in wake of fatal attack: senior minister
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
David Ljunggren
Publishing date:Jun 09, 2021 • 16 hours ago • 2 minute read • 6 Comments
Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family earlier this week in London, Ont.
Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family earlier this week in London, Ont. PHOTO BY ELCO VAN BERKEL /iStock / Getty Images
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OTTAWA — Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family, a crime that police said was inspired by hate, a government minister said on Wednesday.
Four members of the family were killed on Sunday when a pickup truck jumped the curb and ran them over in London, Ont.
“Our government is continuing to do what is necessary, obviously working with the social media platforms, to combat online hate and we’ll have more to say on specific measures in the coming weeks,” Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters.
There is no evidence that the suspect, Nathaniel Veltman, had any connection to hate groups.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing complaints from religious and ethnic communities that Ottawa has not done enough to combat bigotry and racism, promised on Tuesday to intensify efforts to fight far-right groups.
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“We don’t yet know all the causes or reasons, but there is probably an element of online incitation to violence,” Trudeau told a conference on digital governance on Wednesday.
In January, he asked Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault to work with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair “to take action on combating hate groups and online hate.” Neither minister’s office was immediately available for comment.
In February, Canada named the far-right Proud Boys a terrorist entity, saying it posed an active security threat.
Stephanie Carvin, an assistant professor and security expert at Ottawa’s Carleton University, said the most likely short-term option was to ban more extremist organizations.
“The problem with targeting these ideologically motivated violent extremist groups is that they just resurface,” she said by phone, calling for policies to target the far-right movement as a whole.
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Christian Leuprecht, a politics professor and expert on security and terrorism at the Royal Military College of Canada, noted official data showed hate crimes reported to police fell in 2019 compared to 2018.
Rather than listing groups and broadening the definition of what behaviour is acceptable, Canada needs special policy tools to deal with the separate phenomena of hate, violent extremism and extremist violence, Leuprecht said.
“I am concerned that we are creating a very big hammer that conflates all of these … and which might score political points but doesn’t actually treat the problem,” he said in a phone interview.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
David Ljunggren
Publishing date:Jun 09, 2021 • 16 hours ago • 2 minute read • 6 Comments
Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family earlier this week in London, Ont.
Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family earlier this week in London, Ont. PHOTO BY ELCO VAN BERKEL /iStock / Getty Images
Article content
OTTAWA — Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family, a crime that police said was inspired by hate, a government minister said on Wednesday.
Four members of the family were killed on Sunday when a pickup truck jumped the curb and ran them over in London, Ont.
“Our government is continuing to do what is necessary, obviously working with the social media platforms, to combat online hate and we’ll have more to say on specific measures in the coming weeks,” Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters.
There is no evidence that the suspect, Nathaniel Veltman, had any connection to hate groups.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing complaints from religious and ethnic communities that Ottawa has not done enough to combat bigotry and racism, promised on Tuesday to intensify efforts to fight far-right groups.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“We don’t yet know all the causes or reasons, but there is probably an element of online incitation to violence,” Trudeau told a conference on digital governance on Wednesday.
In January, he asked Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault to work with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair “to take action on combating hate groups and online hate.” Neither minister’s office was immediately available for comment.
In February, Canada named the far-right Proud Boys a terrorist entity, saying it posed an active security threat.
Stephanie Carvin, an assistant professor and security expert at Ottawa’s Carleton University, said the most likely short-term option was to ban more extremist organizations.
“The problem with targeting these ideologically motivated violent extremist groups is that they just resurface,” she said by phone, calling for policies to target the far-right movement as a whole.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Christian Leuprecht, a politics professor and expert on security and terrorism at the Royal Military College of Canada, noted official data showed hate crimes reported to police fell in 2019 compared to 2018.
Rather than listing groups and broadening the definition of what behaviour is acceptable, Canada needs special policy tools to deal with the separate phenomena of hate, violent extremism and extremist violence, Leuprecht said.
“I am concerned that we are creating a very big hammer that conflates all of these … and which might score political points but doesn’t actually treat the problem,” he said in a phone interview.
Feds will soon crack down on online hate in wake of fatal attack: senior minister
OTTAWA — Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family, a crime that police said was inspired by hate,…
The catch is who gets to decide what is online hate. And how that law will dovetail with our charter rights.Feds will soon crack down on online hate in wake of fatal attack: senior minister
Author of the article:Reuters
Reuters
David Ljunggren
Publishing date:Jun 09, 2021 • 16 hours ago • 2 minute read • 6 Comments
Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family earlier this week in London, Ont.
Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family earlier this week in London, Ont. PHOTO BY ELCO VAN BERKEL /iStock / Getty Images
Article content
OTTAWA — Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family, a crime that police said was inspired by hate, a government minister said on Wednesday.
Four members of the family were killed on Sunday when a pickup truck jumped the curb and ran them over in London, Ont.
“Our government is continuing to do what is necessary, obviously working with the social media platforms, to combat online hate and we’ll have more to say on specific measures in the coming weeks,” Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters.
There is no evidence that the suspect, Nathaniel Veltman, had any connection to hate groups.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, facing complaints from religious and ethnic communities that Ottawa has not done enough to combat bigotry and racism, promised on Tuesday to intensify efforts to fight far-right groups.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“We don’t yet know all the causes or reasons, but there is probably an element of online incitation to violence,” Trudeau told a conference on digital governance on Wednesday.
In January, he asked Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault to work with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair “to take action on combating hate groups and online hate.” Neither minister’s office was immediately available for comment.
In February, Canada named the far-right Proud Boys a terrorist entity, saying it posed an active security threat.
Stephanie Carvin, an assistant professor and security expert at Ottawa’s Carleton University, said the most likely short-term option was to ban more extremist organizations.
“The problem with targeting these ideologically motivated violent extremist groups is that they just resurface,” she said by phone, calling for policies to target the far-right movement as a whole.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Christian Leuprecht, a politics professor and expert on security and terrorism at the Royal Military College of Canada, noted official data showed hate crimes reported to police fell in 2019 compared to 2018.
Rather than listing groups and broadening the definition of what behaviour is acceptable, Canada needs special policy tools to deal with the separate phenomena of hate, violent extremism and extremist violence, Leuprecht said.
“I am concerned that we are creating a very big hammer that conflates all of these … and which might score political points but doesn’t actually treat the problem,” he said in a phone interview.
Feds will soon crack down on online hate in wake of fatal attack: senior minister
OTTAWA — Canada will soon unveil measures to crack down on online extremism following the killing of a Muslim family, a crime that police said was inspired by hate,…
'SHAKEN BUT UNBROKEN': Man charged in alleged hate crime against Muslim mom, daughter in Hamilton
PM Trudeau tweeted he strongly condemned such 'violent, hateful, and abhorrent behaviour'
Author of the article:Chris Doucette
Chris Doucette
Publishing date:Jul 14, 2021 • 19 hours ago • 2 minute read • 96 Comments
A Hamilton Police cruiser.
A Hamilton Police cruiser. PHOTO BY BRAD HUNTER /Toronto Sun
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A 40-year-old man is accused of almost running down a Muslim mother and daughter in Hamilton, then chasing after the pair, hurling racial slurs and threatening to kill them.
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Hamilton Police say the alleged hate crime — which comes five weeks after a pickup truck driver ran down a Muslim family in London, Ont., killing four people and seriously injuring a fifth — unfolded as the mother and daughter walked through a plaza parking lot in the Ancaster Meadowlands around 9:30 p.m. on Monday.
“An interaction occurred after a vehicle pulling out of a parking spot almost struck one of the victims,” police said in a statement. “The interaction escalated with the suspect uttering threats towards the victims while using racial slurs targeting the Muslim community.
“The victims ran across the street and hid behind some bushes while the suspect searched for them,” police said, alleging the man “eventually located them and threatened to kill them.”
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Police said one of the victims “ran screaming for help” and bystanders intervened as the motorist took off.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims posted a message on Twitter saying they are “deeply saddened to hear of yet another terrifying, seemingly Islamaphobia-motivated attack on two Muslim women wearing hijab.”
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The NCCM also released a statement from the family of the mother and daughter.
“We are shaken but unbroken after the attack on our family,” the statement reads. “Let us be clear: This individual attempted to terrorize our family.
“In light of the London attack, this is incredibly terrifying for our family,” the family says, before urging the government to “commit to taking stronger action.”
On Twitter, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “deeply disturbed by reports of an Islamophobic attack on Muslim women in Hamilton” and he strongly condemned such “violent, hateful, and abhorrent behaviour.”
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“It has no place in our country or any of our communities,” Trudeau tweeted. “We will continue to stand together and take action.”
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath also took to Twitter to denounce Islamophobia.
“My heart is with the women who endured this hateful attack, their family & Muslim communities across #HamOnt & Ontario,” Horwath said. “Everyone deserves to walk down the street in peace, without fear.”
“Urgent government action to fight Islamophobia is long overdue & desperately needed.”
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In a video posted on Twitter, Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen said he is outraged by the “blatant acts of hatred” that have left the city’s Muslim community “feeling unsafe.”
“We stand with the Muslim community here in Hamilton and across the country in condemning Islamophobia,” Bergen said. “These incidents are taken seriously and then fully investigated.”
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“As chief, I am offering my support and assurance that Hamilton police will continue to do everything we can to ensure your safety,” he added.
Vince Licata, of Cambridge, is charged with three counts of uttering threat to cause death, two counts of assault with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and failure to comply with a probation order.
Police ask any witnesses to this incident to call the investigator at 905-546-3851 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
cdoucette@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @SunDoucette
torontosun.com
PM Trudeau tweeted he strongly condemned such 'violent, hateful, and abhorrent behaviour'
Author of the article:Chris Doucette
Chris Doucette
Publishing date:Jul 14, 2021 • 19 hours ago • 2 minute read • 96 Comments
A Hamilton Police cruiser.
A Hamilton Police cruiser. PHOTO BY BRAD HUNTER /Toronto Sun
Article content
A 40-year-old man is accused of almost running down a Muslim mother and daughter in Hamilton, then chasing after the pair, hurling racial slurs and threatening to kill them.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Hamilton Police say the alleged hate crime — which comes five weeks after a pickup truck driver ran down a Muslim family in London, Ont., killing four people and seriously injuring a fifth — unfolded as the mother and daughter walked through a plaza parking lot in the Ancaster Meadowlands around 9:30 p.m. on Monday.
“An interaction occurred after a vehicle pulling out of a parking spot almost struck one of the victims,” police said in a statement. “The interaction escalated with the suspect uttering threats towards the victims while using racial slurs targeting the Muslim community.
“The victims ran across the street and hid behind some bushes while the suspect searched for them,” police said, alleging the man “eventually located them and threatened to kill them.”
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Police said one of the victims “ran screaming for help” and bystanders intervened as the motorist took off.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims posted a message on Twitter saying they are “deeply saddened to hear of yet another terrifying, seemingly Islamaphobia-motivated attack on two Muslim women wearing hijab.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
The NCCM also released a statement from the family of the mother and daughter.
“We are shaken but unbroken after the attack on our family,” the statement reads. “Let us be clear: This individual attempted to terrorize our family.
“In light of the London attack, this is incredibly terrifying for our family,” the family says, before urging the government to “commit to taking stronger action.”
On Twitter, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he was “deeply disturbed by reports of an Islamophobic attack on Muslim women in Hamilton” and he strongly condemned such “violent, hateful, and abhorrent behaviour.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“It has no place in our country or any of our communities,” Trudeau tweeted. “We will continue to stand together and take action.”
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath also took to Twitter to denounce Islamophobia.
“My heart is with the women who endured this hateful attack, their family & Muslim communities across #HamOnt & Ontario,” Horwath said. “Everyone deserves to walk down the street in peace, without fear.”
“Urgent government action to fight Islamophobia is long overdue & desperately needed.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
In a video posted on Twitter, Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen said he is outraged by the “blatant acts of hatred” that have left the city’s Muslim community “feeling unsafe.”
“We stand with the Muslim community here in Hamilton and across the country in condemning Islamophobia,” Bergen said. “These incidents are taken seriously and then fully investigated.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“As chief, I am offering my support and assurance that Hamilton police will continue to do everything we can to ensure your safety,” he added.
Vince Licata, of Cambridge, is charged with three counts of uttering threat to cause death, two counts of assault with a weapon, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and failure to comply with a probation order.
Police ask any witnesses to this incident to call the investigator at 905-546-3851 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
cdoucette@postmedia.com
On Twitter: @SunDoucette
'SHAKEN BUT UNBROKEN': Man charged in alleged hate crime against Muslim mom, daughter in Hamilton
PM Trudeau tweeted he strongly condemned such 'violent, hateful, and abhorrent behaviour'
Cambridge mosque vandalized in suspected hate crime
The alleged attack comes as more hate crimes are being reported
Author of the article:Scott Laurie
Publishing date:Jul 15, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 2 minute read • 28 Comments
Images released by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Canada of vandalism committed at the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge.
Images released by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Canada of vandalism committed at the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge. PHOTO BY HANDOUT
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Leaders of a mosque in Cambridge are picking up the pieces after vandals caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage in what Muslim community leaders say was an act of hate.
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“Because of recent incidents across the country, I would assume people are disappointed and upset that these types of things are happening in Canada,” said Asif Khan, spokesperson for Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at.
Leaders of the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge believe the vandalism happened Wednesday between 2 and 4 p.m.
They say an imam was about to enter the building when he heard a commotion and left to call police.
When officers arrived, no one was inside. But the damage was extensive, with appliances ripped apart and literature strewn about.
“We are deeply troubled to learn of this attack on the Baitul Kareem Mosque,” said Lal Khan Malik, national president of the Ahmadiyya Canada. “Our mosques have always served as symbols of peace in the community, and it is hurtful for us to see our mosque attacked and vandalized in this fashion.”
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Police are investigating.
“We are deeply disturbed by this senseless criminal act and the significant destruction towards the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge,” Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin said. “Places of worship are sacred, and this criminal act cannot and will not be tolerated in Waterloo Region.
“Rest assured, we are actively investigating, and committing appropriate resources to this investigation. My thoughts are with our Muslim community as they cope with this destructive and hateful crime.”
MORE ON THIS TOPIC
Raheel Raza of the Canadian Muslim Congress is pictured in this undated file photo.
FATAH: Who will listen to the cries of ordinary Muslims?
A Hamilton Police cruiser.
'SHAKEN BUT UNBROKEN': Man charged in alleged hate crime against Muslim mom, daughter in Hamilton
Former YouTuber Harris Sultan.
HASSAN: The ex-Muslim movement seeks to challenge apostasy in Islam
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“I can’t say for sure whether this is Muslim hate or is this just something very unfortunate.” Khan said, adding, “These rising trends of hate, prejudice, racism is on the rise and it’s unfortunate. We hope that these are trends that don’t continue.”
On June 6, four members of the Afzaal family in London, Ont. were killed when they were allegedly deliberately run down by a truck driver in what police there called an act of hate. Only 9-year-old Fayez Afzaal survived.
On Monday, Hamilton Police announced they had arrested a 40-year-old Cambridge man after an alleged hate crime attack on a mother and daughter walking through a plaza parking lot. Police say the suspect uttered threats while using slurs against the Muslim community.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at – with 65 chapters across the country — says it has heightened security measures at its mosques and prayer centres.
“Our hope and prayer is that these are one-offs and this will dissipate,” Khan said. “But at the same time I guess we all have to be a bit more aware.”
slaurie@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
The alleged attack comes as more hate crimes are being reported
Author of the article:Scott Laurie
Publishing date:Jul 15, 2021 • 3 hours ago • 2 minute read • 28 Comments
Images released by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Canada of vandalism committed at the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge.
Images released by the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama'at Canada of vandalism committed at the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge. PHOTO BY HANDOUT
Article content
Leaders of a mosque in Cambridge are picking up the pieces after vandals caused tens of thousands of dollars in damage in what Muslim community leaders say was an act of hate.
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“Because of recent incidents across the country, I would assume people are disappointed and upset that these types of things are happening in Canada,” said Asif Khan, spokesperson for Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at.
Leaders of the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge believe the vandalism happened Wednesday between 2 and 4 p.m.
They say an imam was about to enter the building when he heard a commotion and left to call police.
When officers arrived, no one was inside. But the damage was extensive, with appliances ripped apart and literature strewn about.
“We are deeply troubled to learn of this attack on the Baitul Kareem Mosque,” said Lal Khan Malik, national president of the Ahmadiyya Canada. “Our mosques have always served as symbols of peace in the community, and it is hurtful for us to see our mosque attacked and vandalized in this fashion.”
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Police are investigating.
“We are deeply disturbed by this senseless criminal act and the significant destruction towards the Baitul Kareem Mosque in Cambridge,” Waterloo Regional Police Chief Bryan Larkin said. “Places of worship are sacred, and this criminal act cannot and will not be tolerated in Waterloo Region.
“Rest assured, we are actively investigating, and committing appropriate resources to this investigation. My thoughts are with our Muslim community as they cope with this destructive and hateful crime.”
Raheel Raza of the Canadian Muslim Congress is pictured in this undated file photo.
FATAH: Who will listen to the cries of ordinary Muslims?
A Hamilton Police cruiser.
'SHAKEN BUT UNBROKEN': Man charged in alleged hate crime against Muslim mom, daughter in Hamilton
Former YouTuber Harris Sultan.
HASSAN: The ex-Muslim movement seeks to challenge apostasy in Islam
Advertisement
STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
“I can’t say for sure whether this is Muslim hate or is this just something very unfortunate.” Khan said, adding, “These rising trends of hate, prejudice, racism is on the rise and it’s unfortunate. We hope that these are trends that don’t continue.”
On June 6, four members of the Afzaal family in London, Ont. were killed when they were allegedly deliberately run down by a truck driver in what police there called an act of hate. Only 9-year-old Fayez Afzaal survived.
On Monday, Hamilton Police announced they had arrested a 40-year-old Cambridge man after an alleged hate crime attack on a mother and daughter walking through a plaza parking lot. Police say the suspect uttered threats while using slurs against the Muslim community.
The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at – with 65 chapters across the country — says it has heightened security measures at its mosques and prayer centres.
“Our hope and prayer is that these are one-offs and this will dissipate,” Khan said. “But at the same time I guess we all have to be a bit more aware.”
slaurie@postmedia.com
Cambridge mosque vandalized in suspected hate crime
The alleged attack comes as more hate crimes are being reported
Higher court to hear case against man accused in killing of Muslim family
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Publishing date:Feb 09, 2022 • 1 day ago • 1 minute read
Nathaniel Veltman is shown during a brief appearance in court on Oct. 20, 2021. (Charles Vincent/The London Free Press)
Nathaniel Veltman is shown during a brief appearance in court on Oct. 20, 2021. (Charles Vincent/The London Free Press)
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The case of a London man facing murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in a deadly hit-and-run has moved to a higher court.
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Nathaniel Veltman, 20, made a brief video appearance Wednesday morning from the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in the Ontario Court of Justice, but it was just a formality to advise the court that the case has been moved to the Superior Court of Justice through a preferred indictment.
The legal procedure allows the Crown to apply to the provincial attorney general for consent to move the case to the higher court without an accused having a preliminary hearing.
Federal prosecutor Lisa Matthews told the court that the Crown filed the preferred indictment on Jan. 20. Veltman made his first appearance in the Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday.
A judicial pretrial has been scheduled on March 8. Veltman returns to the Superior Court assignment court on April 12.
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Four members of a London Muslim family were killed in a June 6 hit-and-run that police allege was intentional and motivated by anti-Islamic hate. The dead, from right, were: Salman Afzaal, 46; his mother, Talat Afzaal, 74; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; and their daughter Yumna Salman, 15. The couple’s son Fayez, 9, is the sole survivor. (Handout)
Four members of a London Muslim family were killed in a June 6 hit-and-run that police allege was intentional and motivated by anti-Islamic hate. The dead, from right, were: Salman Afzaal, 46; his mother, Talat Afzaal, 74; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; and their daughter Yumna Salman, 15. The couple’s son Fayez, 9, is the sole survivor. (Handout)
Veltman is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for the deaths of four member of the Afzaal family, who were hit by a pickup truck while out for a late spring walk in northwest London on June 6, 2021.
Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna and Afzaal’s mother Talat, 74, were killed at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads. Fayez Afzaal, 9, suffered serious injuries but survived.
Veltman was arrested a short time later in the Cherryhill Village Mall parking lot. At the time, the London police alleged the crash was a targeted attack on Muslims.
The deaths led to an unprecedented outpouring of support for the Muslim community both here and internationally. Prosecutors are pursuing terrorism as the basis for the first-degree murder charges.
jsims@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JaneatLFPress
torontosun.com
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Publishing date:Feb 09, 2022 • 1 day ago • 1 minute read
Nathaniel Veltman is shown during a brief appearance in court on Oct. 20, 2021. (Charles Vincent/The London Free Press)
Nathaniel Veltman is shown during a brief appearance in court on Oct. 20, 2021. (Charles Vincent/The London Free Press)
Article content
The case of a London man facing murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in a deadly hit-and-run has moved to a higher court.
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STORY CONTINUES BELOW
Article content
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, made a brief video appearance Wednesday morning from the Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre in the Ontario Court of Justice, but it was just a formality to advise the court that the case has been moved to the Superior Court of Justice through a preferred indictment.
The legal procedure allows the Crown to apply to the provincial attorney general for consent to move the case to the higher court without an accused having a preliminary hearing.
Federal prosecutor Lisa Matthews told the court that the Crown filed the preferred indictment on Jan. 20. Veltman made his first appearance in the Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday.
A judicial pretrial has been scheduled on March 8. Veltman returns to the Superior Court assignment court on April 12.
Advertisement
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Article content
Four members of a London Muslim family were killed in a June 6 hit-and-run that police allege was intentional and motivated by anti-Islamic hate. The dead, from right, were: Salman Afzaal, 46; his mother, Talat Afzaal, 74; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; and their daughter Yumna Salman, 15. The couple’s son Fayez, 9, is the sole survivor. (Handout)
Four members of a London Muslim family were killed in a June 6 hit-and-run that police allege was intentional and motivated by anti-Islamic hate. The dead, from right, were: Salman Afzaal, 46; his mother, Talat Afzaal, 74; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; and their daughter Yumna Salman, 15. The couple’s son Fayez, 9, is the sole survivor. (Handout)
Veltman is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for the deaths of four member of the Afzaal family, who were hit by a pickup truck while out for a late spring walk in northwest London on June 6, 2021.
Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna and Afzaal’s mother Talat, 74, were killed at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads. Fayez Afzaal, 9, suffered serious injuries but survived.
Veltman was arrested a short time later in the Cherryhill Village Mall parking lot. At the time, the London police alleged the crash was a targeted attack on Muslims.
The deaths led to an unprecedented outpouring of support for the Muslim community both here and internationally. Prosecutors are pursuing terrorism as the basis for the first-degree murder charges.
jsims@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JaneatLFPress
Higher court to hear case against man accused in Afzaal family killings
The case of a London man facing murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in a deadly hit-and-run has moved to a higher court.
Man charged with killing Muslim family in London, Ont., to be tried elsewhere
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Publishing date:Jul 25, 2022 • 2 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
LONDON, Ont. — The trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., will be held in a different city.
An Ontario judge ruled Monday that a change of venue is warranted in the case of Nathaniel Veltman.
The reasons for that decision, as well as the evidence and arguments presented in court, cannot be disclosed due to a publication ban.
The new location has not yet been determined.
Veltman, who was 20 at the time of his arrest, is accused of deliberately hitting the family with his truck as they were out for a walk on the evening of June 6, 2021.
Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed. The couple’s nine-year-old son was seriously hurt.
Veltman faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in what prosecutors allege was an act of terrorism.
His case will be heading straight to trial without a preliminary inquiry. The trial is set to begin in September 2023.
The deaths of the Afzaal family sent waves of shock, grief and fear across the country, and spurred ongoing calls for measures to combat Islamophobia.
Last month, London residents and members of the local Muslim community gathered to honour the family a year after the attack.
The City of London has also dedicated a garden to the Afzaal family.
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Canadian Press
Canadian Press
Publishing date:Jul 25, 2022 • 2 hours ago • 1 minute read • Join the conversation
LONDON, Ont. — The trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., will be held in a different city.
An Ontario judge ruled Monday that a change of venue is warranted in the case of Nathaniel Veltman.
The reasons for that decision, as well as the evidence and arguments presented in court, cannot be disclosed due to a publication ban.
The new location has not yet been determined.
Veltman, who was 20 at the time of his arrest, is accused of deliberately hitting the family with his truck as they were out for a walk on the evening of June 6, 2021.
Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed. The couple’s nine-year-old son was seriously hurt.
Veltman faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in what prosecutors allege was an act of terrorism.
His case will be heading straight to trial without a preliminary inquiry. The trial is set to begin in September 2023.
The deaths of the Afzaal family sent waves of shock, grief and fear across the country, and spurred ongoing calls for measures to combat Islamophobia.
Last month, London residents and members of the local Muslim community gathered to honour the family a year after the attack.
The City of London has also dedicated a garden to the Afzaal family.
Man charged with killing Muslim family in London, Ont., to be tried elsewhere
LONDON, Ont. — The trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., will be held in a different…
Trial for man accused of killing Afzaal family in London, Ont. moved to Windsor
Nathaniel Veltman, 22, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Published Jan 11, 2023 • 2 minute read
The highly anticipated Superior Court trial of a man accused of running down and killing four members of a London Muslim family will be held in Windsor.
A change of venue was ordered by Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance during pre-trial motions last summer to move the jury trial of Nathaniel Veltman, 22, out of London. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Regional Senior Justice Bruce Thomas has ordered that the case be moved to Windsor.
The trial is slated to start Sept. 5 and is scheduled for 12 weeks.
Venue changes are often ordered to ensure fair trial interests for an accused.
Pre-trial motions continue in the case with the next court appearance slated for Jan. 23.
Veltman was charged after Salman Afzaal, 46, his mother Talat Afzaal, 74, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, and their daughter Yumnah, 15, were killed at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads in northwest London while on an evening stroll when they were struck by a pickup truck on June 6, 2021.
The only survivor was their son Fayez, who was nine at the time and received serious injuries.
The hit-and-run sparked an outpouring of sadness and sympathy across London and drew attention nationally and internationally.
Within hours of the incident, London police made the unexpected announcement that they believed the deaths were the result of a targeted attack against Muslims.
The Crown’s team of prosecutors, which includes both provincial and federal members, have indicated that one of the grounds for conviction they will be arguing is that the family’s deaths were the direct result of a terrorist act.
Veltman, who worked at an egg production facility near Strathroy before his arrest, has appeared at the pre-trial motions from jail. All of the motions, with their reasons covered by a publication ban, are being held through a teleconferencing court.
Search warrant materials released to the media in March suggested Veltman was involved in the Internet’s dark web before his arrest.
More than 30,000 Muslims live in London. The Afzaals came to Canada from Pakistan. Salman Afzaal was a physiotherapist and worked at several long-term care homes. Madiha Salman was a doctoral candidate in civil engineering at Western University.
Yumnah Afzaal was an Oakridge secondary school student and an artist.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was one of several political and faith leaders who came to London in the aftermath of the crash to answer demands to do more to combat Islamophobia and anti-Muslim violence.
jsims@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JaneatLFPress
torontosun.com
Nathaniel Veltman, 22, is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Published Jan 11, 2023 • 2 minute read
The highly anticipated Superior Court trial of a man accused of running down and killing four members of a London Muslim family will be held in Windsor.
A change of venue was ordered by Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance during pre-trial motions last summer to move the jury trial of Nathaniel Veltman, 22, out of London. He is charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Regional Senior Justice Bruce Thomas has ordered that the case be moved to Windsor.
The trial is slated to start Sept. 5 and is scheduled for 12 weeks.
Venue changes are often ordered to ensure fair trial interests for an accused.
Pre-trial motions continue in the case with the next court appearance slated for Jan. 23.
Veltman was charged after Salman Afzaal, 46, his mother Talat Afzaal, 74, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, and their daughter Yumnah, 15, were killed at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads in northwest London while on an evening stroll when they were struck by a pickup truck on June 6, 2021.
The only survivor was their son Fayez, who was nine at the time and received serious injuries.
The hit-and-run sparked an outpouring of sadness and sympathy across London and drew attention nationally and internationally.
Within hours of the incident, London police made the unexpected announcement that they believed the deaths were the result of a targeted attack against Muslims.
The Crown’s team of prosecutors, which includes both provincial and federal members, have indicated that one of the grounds for conviction they will be arguing is that the family’s deaths were the direct result of a terrorist act.
Veltman, who worked at an egg production facility near Strathroy before his arrest, has appeared at the pre-trial motions from jail. All of the motions, with their reasons covered by a publication ban, are being held through a teleconferencing court.
Search warrant materials released to the media in March suggested Veltman was involved in the Internet’s dark web before his arrest.
More than 30,000 Muslims live in London. The Afzaals came to Canada from Pakistan. Salman Afzaal was a physiotherapist and worked at several long-term care homes. Madiha Salman was a doctoral candidate in civil engineering at Western University.
Yumnah Afzaal was an Oakridge secondary school student and an artist.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was one of several political and faith leaders who came to London in the aftermath of the crash to answer demands to do more to combat Islamophobia and anti-Muslim violence.
jsims@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JaneatLFPress
Trial for man accused of killing Afzaal family moved to Windsor
The highly anticipated Superior Court trial of a man accused of running down and killing four members of a London Muslim family will be held in Windsor.
Nathaniel Veltman pleads not guilty in Afzaal deaths; jury selection starts
Jury selection began Tuesday in Windsor for a much-anticipated murder trial examining one of London’s darkest days.
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Published Sep 05, 2023 • Last updated 1 day ago • 2 minute read
WINDSOR – When it came time for Nathaniel Veltman to enter his pleas to murder and attempted murder at his much-anticipated murder trial, he let one of his defence lawyers do the talking.
“Madam Registrar, Mr. Veltman wishes to enter a plea of not guilty,” Christopher Hicks said to each of Veltman’s five charges while standing beside his client in the Windsor courtroom on Tuesday.
Watching the arraignment was a quiet group of about 150, the first jury panel called to the Windsor courthouse to serve at the trial that is expected to last three months. The intention is to choose 14 jurors and two alternates.
There is a court-issued publication ban surrounding the vetting of the jury panel.
Once picked, it will judge the case involving the hit-and-run deaths of four members of a London Pakistani-Muslim family: Salman Afzaal, 46, his mother Talat Afzaal, 74, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, and their daughter Yumnah, 15. A fifth member of the family, a then-nine-year-old boy, suffered serious injuries, but survived.
They died on June 6, 2021 while on a family walk when they were struck by a pickup truck at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads in northwest London.
Jury selection was anticipated to take several days. A second jury panel was expected on Wednesday.
Tuesday morning, Veltman was arraigned on the charges and entered his not-guilty pleas. He was wearing a large, untucked white dress shirt, open at the neck, and black dress pants. He stood silently beside Hicks with his hands at his sides, his gaze focused forward and down.
The pleas were not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
In her opening remarks, Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance told the panel she recognized the courts are expecting a long commitment from the selected jurors. She said the estimate is 12 to 14 weeks. The plan is to select 14 jurors, 12 who will decide the case and two alternates.
The prosecution is setting out to prove the homicides were both planned and deliberate and constituted a terrorist act.
The trial will mark the first time since Canada passed terrorism laws that terrorism will be argued before a jury in a first-degree murder case.
What is most important, Pomerance said, is that the case be tried “without bias, prejudice or partiality.”
Jury selection could be long and tedious. The process turned out to be remarkably efficient.
Middlesex County Crown attorney Fraser Ball and assistant Crown attorney Jennifer Moser make up the provincial prosecution team. Prosecutors Sarah Shaikh and Kim Johnson represent the federal justice department. Defence lawyer Peter Ketcheson is working alongside Hicks.
By the lunch break, there were four groups of twelve potential jurors picked to be further vetted. The selection process continued all afternoon.
The trial was ordered moved to Windsor from London last year. Given the expected interest in the case in London, two courtrooms in the London courthouse have been set aside for the public to view the trial remotely.
The remote viewing courtroom will be overseen by court staff to ensure there will be no recording by observers. The number of people allowed will be capped at 60.
jsims@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JaneatLFPress
torontosun.com
Jury selection began Tuesday in Windsor for a much-anticipated murder trial examining one of London’s darkest days.
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Published Sep 05, 2023 • Last updated 1 day ago • 2 minute read
WINDSOR – When it came time for Nathaniel Veltman to enter his pleas to murder and attempted murder at his much-anticipated murder trial, he let one of his defence lawyers do the talking.
“Madam Registrar, Mr. Veltman wishes to enter a plea of not guilty,” Christopher Hicks said to each of Veltman’s five charges while standing beside his client in the Windsor courtroom on Tuesday.
Watching the arraignment was a quiet group of about 150, the first jury panel called to the Windsor courthouse to serve at the trial that is expected to last three months. The intention is to choose 14 jurors and two alternates.
There is a court-issued publication ban surrounding the vetting of the jury panel.
Once picked, it will judge the case involving the hit-and-run deaths of four members of a London Pakistani-Muslim family: Salman Afzaal, 46, his mother Talat Afzaal, 74, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, and their daughter Yumnah, 15. A fifth member of the family, a then-nine-year-old boy, suffered serious injuries, but survived.
They died on June 6, 2021 while on a family walk when they were struck by a pickup truck at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads in northwest London.
Jury selection was anticipated to take several days. A second jury panel was expected on Wednesday.
Tuesday morning, Veltman was arraigned on the charges and entered his not-guilty pleas. He was wearing a large, untucked white dress shirt, open at the neck, and black dress pants. He stood silently beside Hicks with his hands at his sides, his gaze focused forward and down.
The pleas were not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
In her opening remarks, Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance told the panel she recognized the courts are expecting a long commitment from the selected jurors. She said the estimate is 12 to 14 weeks. The plan is to select 14 jurors, 12 who will decide the case and two alternates.
The prosecution is setting out to prove the homicides were both planned and deliberate and constituted a terrorist act.
The trial will mark the first time since Canada passed terrorism laws that terrorism will be argued before a jury in a first-degree murder case.
What is most important, Pomerance said, is that the case be tried “without bias, prejudice or partiality.”
Jury selection could be long and tedious. The process turned out to be remarkably efficient.
Middlesex County Crown attorney Fraser Ball and assistant Crown attorney Jennifer Moser make up the provincial prosecution team. Prosecutors Sarah Shaikh and Kim Johnson represent the federal justice department. Defence lawyer Peter Ketcheson is working alongside Hicks.
By the lunch break, there were four groups of twelve potential jurors picked to be further vetted. The selection process continued all afternoon.
The trial was ordered moved to Windsor from London last year. Given the expected interest in the case in London, two courtrooms in the London courthouse have been set aside for the public to view the trial remotely.
The remote viewing courtroom will be overseen by court staff to ensure there will be no recording by observers. The number of people allowed will be capped at 60.
jsims@postmedia.com
twitter.com/JaneatLFPress
Nathaniel Veltman pleads not guilty in Afzaal deaths; jury selection starts
When it came time for Nathaniel Veltman to enter his pleas to murder and attempted murder, he let one of his defence lawyers do the talking.
Crown details case against Veltman in opening statements
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Published Sep 11, 2023 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 6 minute read
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes graphic details that may be upsetting to readers
WINDSOR – Nathaniel Veltman found exactly what he wanted when he saw the Afzaal family at a northwest London intersection.
He was driving north on Hyde Park Road in London and saw the Pakistani-Muslim family walking across South Carriage Road toward the southwest corner of an intersection. He drove a little farther north and made a U-turn.
The self-described white nationalist was about to carry out his long-awaited plan. He had one thought in his head. “Pedal to the metal,” he told London police.
Tests later on his black pickup truck showed the accelerator was pressed to the floor when he hit the family of five. Veltman steered to the right onto the curb, hit the family and then turned and went back onto the road. There was no evidence of braking.
“I want the world to know what I did,” Veltman told police not long after his arrest. He said he wanted to inspire others and had planned to “go on a rampage.”
In her opening statement Monday at Veltman’s highly anticipated murder trial, federal prosecutor Sarah Shaikh said Veltman, 22, went out on June 6, 2021, looking for Muslims to kill with his pickup truck.
Shaikh told the jury that the Pakistani-Muslim family had gone out for a walk and had been to a park that spring evening.
“This would be their last walk together,” Shaikh said. “And it was their last walk because of Nathaniel Veltman.”
Four members of the Afzaal family – Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, his mother Talat Afzaal, 74, and their daughter Yumnah, 15 – were killed when they were struck by a southbound pickup truck at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads that Sunday evening more than two years ago.
A fifth victim, a boy, then 9, was seriously injured.
At the first day of Veltman’s trial, Shaikh said Veltman “carefully planned” the attack and was out searching for Muslims to kill. “I chose to go as brutal as I did because I believed I needed to send as strong a message as I could,” he told police, Shaikh said.
Veltman told London police he recognized the Afzaals were Muslim by the traditional clothing worn by the women. He said he saw the people fly over the truck when he hit them. Witnesses saw a cloud of dust rise when Veltman made his way back from the sidewalk to the road.
His reason for killing the family, Shaikh said, was to send a message to the Muslim community that he blamed for various crimes, Veltman told police. He wanted to send a message for them to “back off or more Muslims are going to die.”
“He used the truck to show others that they didn’t need a gun to kill,” Shaikh said.
Monday was the first day of evidence at Veltman’s trial. The 22-year-old London man has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The prosecution has said it intends to show Veltman’s actions were both planned and deliberate and acts of terrorism.
Veltman spent the day sitting at the defence table, mostly staring straight ahead and not making eye contact with the witnesses or lawyers.
Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance told the jury Monday morning that there has been a change in the trial’s time estimate. They had been told it would take 12 weeks to hear the case but the trial may now be finished in eight weeks.
Shaikh’s opening statement isn’t evidence, but gives the jury of 14 a sense of what will be coming. There is a huge amount of evidence coming their way.
There are videos, photos and witnesses. One will be a cab driver who was parked at Cherryhill Village Mall when Veltman, minutes after the family was struck, flagged him down and told the cabbie to call police.
Shaikh said that call was made and Veltman could be heard in the background of the 911 call saying: “It’s me, it was me. It was me who crashed into them . . . I did it on purpose.”
Veltman was wearing a helmet and was on his knees with his hands on his head when police arrived. He had two knives, a machete and an airsoft gun in the truck “in case people tried to attack me,” he said.
Shaikh said the DNA matching Salman Afzaal, Talat Afzaal and Madiha Salman was found on the front of the truck. Pieces from the women’s traditional clothing were also embedded into the front of the vehicle.
Veltman told police he saw the Afzaal family as he was driving around and targeted them because of the traditional clothing the women were wearing.
Also found in Veltman’s downtown London apartment was the manifesto of Brenton Tarrant, who attacked a mosque in New Zealand in 2019, killing 51 people. Veltman told police Tarrant was one of his heroes.
He also pointed to Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011.
The jury will also see Veltman’s own manifesto, which he called “A White Awakening.” In it, he decried mass immigration and outlined his radical white nationalist political views.
Veltman called for a white society and to “make life as uncomfortable as possible” for Muslims so they leave.
“Europa Arises,” was his final line.
Shaikh said Veltman had been planning the attack for months and made the decision while driving home from work. He went home and then left to look for Muslims to kill, Shaikh said.
“I killed a bunch of people – not a bunch but four, by crashing into them,” he told police. “I meant to kill them. I don’t regret what I did.”
The jury was shown two videos taken from the Peavey Mart surveillance cameras just after 8:30 p.m. that pointed toward the intersection. The family could be seen walking together, crossing form the northwest corner to the southwest corner of South Carriage Road just as Veltman’s headlights come into view in the southbound lanes of Hyde Park Road.
The truck drove past the camera range and appeared again moments later. The video was edited to stop just before point of impact, but the truck can clearly be seen jumping the curb and heading straight for the family.
The jury heard from Wenxi Chen, who was a Western University student at the time and was walking south on Hyde Park Road when he saw the family struck by the truck. He was one of the first people to call 911.
Also testifying was Salman Afzaal’s brother. The Free Press is not publishing his name at the request of the Crown.
He said he is an engineer and does not live in London. Salman Afzaal, Madiha Salman and Yumnah Afzaal came to Canada from Pakistan in 2007. Their son was born in Canada, Salman Afzaal’s brother said.
Salman Afzaal had a master’s degree in rehabilitative studies and was a physiotherapist. His wife was in a doctorate program at Western University studying environmental engineering.
His “very loving mother” Talat came to Canada in 2012. She had a master’s degree in fine art. She was staying with the Afzaals and would live with each of her children at various times, Salman Afzaal’s brother said. She was to move in with the witness’s family on June 19, 2021.
In cross-examination by defence lawyer Christopher Hicks, the witness said his brother and family didn’t belong to any Muslim organizations advocating for the community.
The witness said during questioning by the prosecution that he last spoke on the phone to his brother and mother the day before they died. They saw each other in late May, meeting outside to abide by COVID-19 protocols for social distancing.
He said the family didn’t always go for family walks, and often it was just his brother and mother.
“We are a peace-loving Muslim family,” he said.
The trial continues on Tuesday.
jsims@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Author of the article:Jane Sims
Published Sep 11, 2023 • Last updated 15 hours ago • 6 minute read
EDITOR’S NOTE: This story includes graphic details that may be upsetting to readers
WINDSOR – Nathaniel Veltman found exactly what he wanted when he saw the Afzaal family at a northwest London intersection.
He was driving north on Hyde Park Road in London and saw the Pakistani-Muslim family walking across South Carriage Road toward the southwest corner of an intersection. He drove a little farther north and made a U-turn.
The self-described white nationalist was about to carry out his long-awaited plan. He had one thought in his head. “Pedal to the metal,” he told London police.
Tests later on his black pickup truck showed the accelerator was pressed to the floor when he hit the family of five. Veltman steered to the right onto the curb, hit the family and then turned and went back onto the road. There was no evidence of braking.
“I want the world to know what I did,” Veltman told police not long after his arrest. He said he wanted to inspire others and had planned to “go on a rampage.”
In her opening statement Monday at Veltman’s highly anticipated murder trial, federal prosecutor Sarah Shaikh said Veltman, 22, went out on June 6, 2021, looking for Muslims to kill with his pickup truck.
Shaikh told the jury that the Pakistani-Muslim family had gone out for a walk and had been to a park that spring evening.
“This would be their last walk together,” Shaikh said. “And it was their last walk because of Nathaniel Veltman.”
Four members of the Afzaal family – Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, his mother Talat Afzaal, 74, and their daughter Yumnah, 15 – were killed when they were struck by a southbound pickup truck at the corner of Hyde Park and South Carriage roads that Sunday evening more than two years ago.
A fifth victim, a boy, then 9, was seriously injured.
At the first day of Veltman’s trial, Shaikh said Veltman “carefully planned” the attack and was out searching for Muslims to kill. “I chose to go as brutal as I did because I believed I needed to send as strong a message as I could,” he told police, Shaikh said.
Veltman told London police he recognized the Afzaals were Muslim by the traditional clothing worn by the women. He said he saw the people fly over the truck when he hit them. Witnesses saw a cloud of dust rise when Veltman made his way back from the sidewalk to the road.
His reason for killing the family, Shaikh said, was to send a message to the Muslim community that he blamed for various crimes, Veltman told police. He wanted to send a message for them to “back off or more Muslims are going to die.”
“He used the truck to show others that they didn’t need a gun to kill,” Shaikh said.
Monday was the first day of evidence at Veltman’s trial. The 22-year-old London man has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. The prosecution has said it intends to show Veltman’s actions were both planned and deliberate and acts of terrorism.
Veltman spent the day sitting at the defence table, mostly staring straight ahead and not making eye contact with the witnesses or lawyers.
Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance told the jury Monday morning that there has been a change in the trial’s time estimate. They had been told it would take 12 weeks to hear the case but the trial may now be finished in eight weeks.
Shaikh’s opening statement isn’t evidence, but gives the jury of 14 a sense of what will be coming. There is a huge amount of evidence coming their way.
There are videos, photos and witnesses. One will be a cab driver who was parked at Cherryhill Village Mall when Veltman, minutes after the family was struck, flagged him down and told the cabbie to call police.
Shaikh said that call was made and Veltman could be heard in the background of the 911 call saying: “It’s me, it was me. It was me who crashed into them . . . I did it on purpose.”
Veltman was wearing a helmet and was on his knees with his hands on his head when police arrived. He had two knives, a machete and an airsoft gun in the truck “in case people tried to attack me,” he said.
Shaikh said the DNA matching Salman Afzaal, Talat Afzaal and Madiha Salman was found on the front of the truck. Pieces from the women’s traditional clothing were also embedded into the front of the vehicle.
Veltman told police he saw the Afzaal family as he was driving around and targeted them because of the traditional clothing the women were wearing.
Also found in Veltman’s downtown London apartment was the manifesto of Brenton Tarrant, who attacked a mosque in New Zealand in 2019, killing 51 people. Veltman told police Tarrant was one of his heroes.
He also pointed to Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in Norway in 2011.
The jury will also see Veltman’s own manifesto, which he called “A White Awakening.” In it, he decried mass immigration and outlined his radical white nationalist political views.
Veltman called for a white society and to “make life as uncomfortable as possible” for Muslims so they leave.
“Europa Arises,” was his final line.
Shaikh said Veltman had been planning the attack for months and made the decision while driving home from work. He went home and then left to look for Muslims to kill, Shaikh said.
“I killed a bunch of people – not a bunch but four, by crashing into them,” he told police. “I meant to kill them. I don’t regret what I did.”
The jury was shown two videos taken from the Peavey Mart surveillance cameras just after 8:30 p.m. that pointed toward the intersection. The family could be seen walking together, crossing form the northwest corner to the southwest corner of South Carriage Road just as Veltman’s headlights come into view in the southbound lanes of Hyde Park Road.
The truck drove past the camera range and appeared again moments later. The video was edited to stop just before point of impact, but the truck can clearly be seen jumping the curb and heading straight for the family.
The jury heard from Wenxi Chen, who was a Western University student at the time and was walking south on Hyde Park Road when he saw the family struck by the truck. He was one of the first people to call 911.
Also testifying was Salman Afzaal’s brother. The Free Press is not publishing his name at the request of the Crown.
He said he is an engineer and does not live in London. Salman Afzaal, Madiha Salman and Yumnah Afzaal came to Canada from Pakistan in 2007. Their son was born in Canada, Salman Afzaal’s brother said.
Salman Afzaal had a master’s degree in rehabilitative studies and was a physiotherapist. His wife was in a doctorate program at Western University studying environmental engineering.
His “very loving mother” Talat came to Canada in 2012. She had a master’s degree in fine art. She was staying with the Afzaals and would live with each of her children at various times, Salman Afzaal’s brother said. She was to move in with the witness’s family on June 19, 2021.
In cross-examination by defence lawyer Christopher Hicks, the witness said his brother and family didn’t belong to any Muslim organizations advocating for the community.
The witness said during questioning by the prosecution that he last spoke on the phone to his brother and mother the day before they died. They saw each other in late May, meeting outside to abide by COVID-19 protocols for social distancing.
He said the family didn’t always go for family walks, and often it was just his brother and mother.
“We are a peace-loving Muslim family,” he said.
The trial continues on Tuesday.
jsims@postmedia.com
Crown details Nathaniel Veltman's 'brutal' plan in opening statements
Nathaniel Veltman went out in London in 2021 looking for Muslims to kill, the Crown said in its opening statement at his trial on Monday