Quebec man facing terror charge says he wanted out of Canada to help endangered family abroad
Testifying in own defence, Ismael Habib told court through tears he was unfairly targeted in terrorist probe
Over the course of just a few years, Ismael Habib went from being a studious new father to a man desperately trying to get out of Canada to help his endangered wife and children overseas, he told the court on Wednesday.
Habib, 29, is testifying in his own defence at his trial on a terror-related charge. He's accused of trying to leave the country to join terrorist groups and of providing false information to obtain a passport.
On Monday, Quebec Court Judge Serge Délisle ruled a confession Habib made to an undercover RCMP officer that he wanted to go to Syria and fight with ISIS is admissible evidence.
Habib's defence, led by lawyer Charles Montpetit, began Wednesday morning.
In his testimony, he described the "fireworks" of meeting his first wife in Montreal, the happiest day of his life — when his daughter was born — and the surreal series of events that led to his eventual arrest.
At times, he broke down crying; at other times, he raised his voice much louder than was necessary in the Montreal courtroom.
In 2012, he and his wife were living in Montreal. He said he believed life was going well, until his brother-in-law, Wassim Boughadou, approached him, white as a ghost, and told him the two of them were suspected of being terrorists and were being monitored by the RCMP.
Habib said he didn't know why police believed him to be a threat.
"I was afraid. I couldn't finish my studies," he said.
He said he was persuaded by Boughadou to leave the country to avoid being watched by police.
In 2013, Habib said, he made it to Algeria, then Turkey, then Syria, to avoid scrutiny by Canadian police forces. Eventually, he left Syria, and he was caught and deported back to Canada because his passport had been revoked.
Habib believes family held captive
Habib doesn't deny wanting to leave Canada, but he says he wanted to go overseas to save his family, not to join ISIS.
Habib said he had a falling out with his brother-in-law. Boughadou was married to Habib's wife's sister. Both women were living with Boughadou overseas after Habib was sent back to Canada.
Habib's wife told him that Boughadou was beating his wife, the court heard. The two women fled the home together.
That set Boughadou off, Habib said, and he blamed Habib for the women's departure.
Habib said Boughadou started working to get Habib arrested in Canada, setting up a Facebook page with compromising images of Habib for the RCMP to find. Habib said Boughadou began threatening him personally.
But Habib said he had a more pressing problem: after his wife and children left Boughadou's home, he had no way to reach them. He believes they are being held captive.
From June 2015 until the time of his arrest in February 2016, Habib only spoke to his wife once a month. When they spoke, she would tell him they weren't being treated well and needed help, and she'd want to know what he was doing to help them.
During that period, Habib said he was desperate to go see his family and would have done anything to be able to do so.
"It's my wife and kids. They're in danger. I'm willing to do anything."
It was around that time he was unknowingly surrounded by undercover police officers pretending they could help him obtain a passport.
Habib's testimony wrapped up early on Wednesday, when his lawyer said he was too stressed to continue.
Montpetit told the court his client hadn't slept in the nights leading up to his court appearance. Habib is expected to continue his testimony on Friday morning.