Image Credit: PEXELS
August 06, 2019 - 1:00 PM
ENDERBY - An alleged ISIS supporter due to be released from custody to live in Enderby, has had their release temporarily halted by a Federal Court judge.
The Immigration and Refugee Board had ordered Othman Ayed Hamdan to be released from detention Aug. 2, where he had arranged to live in an Enderby basement suite.
However, a Federal Court judge put an "urgent" temporary halt on the release the same day.
Hamdan was arrested in July 2015 and charged with four terrorism counts based on dozens of social media posts supporting ISIS and encouraging lone-wolf attacks. Hamdan lived in Fort St. John, B.C. at the time of his arrest.
The 37-year-old was found not guilty September 2017 but remained in custody facing extradition back to Jordan. Hamdan, who originally came to Canada as a refugee in 2002, appealed the extradition saying his life would be at risk if he was sent back to Jordan. His appeal is currently working its way through the court system.
An earlier court decision deemed Hamdan to be a danger to the security of Canada and called him an "unmitigated liar" who had not "uttered one truthful word since he came to Canada."
In the Federal Court decision Aug. 2, Justice Martine St-Louis ordered an "urgent interim stay" until a full hearing could be heard "as soon as possible" quashing Hamdan's release from custody.
Hamdan had arranged to live in a basement suite in Enderby with a former co-worker, who had agreed to post a $2,000 bond, according to a Global News report.
Global also said the Immigration and Refugee Board had placed more than two dozen conditions on Hamdan, barring him from possessing devices capable of accessing the internet, driving or possessing weapons among others. He was also ordered not to post anything to social media or have contact with ISIS, and he must attend counselling in Vernon.
The roommate testified he would not give Hamdan the password to the wi-fi at his home, and his fiance could watch Hamdan while he was at work.
Justice St-Louis ordered the hearing to be held as soon as practicable.
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