Justice has just blocked the vacation in Bahrain of a Montrealer and her children after learning that the mother was exchanging “highly disturbing” emails with a radical imam.
The woman sent “tens of thousands of dollars” to the cleric, with whom she was discussing military-style firearms. She also took courses in the handling of firearms.
“Circumstances call for an excess of caution. […] There’s no rush for the kids to leave [à] Bahrain this summer,” wrote Judge André Wery, in a decision made public this week, barring the woman from making the trip.
Madame’s unexpected interest in firearms probably has nothing to do with a sudden fascination with hunting.
Excerpt from the decision of Judge André Wery
“If Madame’s journey [à] Bahrain with the children was allowed, she could decide to stay there with the children to join her Imam, the judge continued. However, the Tribunal considers that the interest of the children compels it not to run this risk. Bahrain is not a signatory to international conventions that facilitate the return of illegally displaced children.
Interest in the weapons of ” sniper »
It was the father, in the process of divorce, who alerted the justice system to the possibility that his wife was “a sleeper cell” and that the trip was used for radicalization purposes. He provided copies of numerous emails between the imam and his wife.
“In a state of chaos everywhere, weapons are more important than anything else,” the cleric wrote to her in May 2021. “I’ll see if I can train this summer,” she replies. “You made me enthusiastic, Master. »
Judge Wery noted that the imam indicated that he was not interested in hunting weapons, but rather in weapons of ” sniper », « which it is forbidden to sell to anyone ». “The conversation continues about the different types of firearms, about ammunition, about shooting distances, and even about silencers for these weapons,” explains the judge.
These exchanges are not reassuring and the Tribunal has clearly expressed this concern.
Excerpt from the decision of Judge André Wery
The mother of the family is herself from Bahrain.
In the courtroom, she did not want to explain herself verbally on the content of the messages, underlines Judge Wery. In a written statement, “Madam acknowledges having taken firearms training courses”, but she writes that it is “completely authorized by the government” and that it is to learn “shooting to hunt”.
“These are explanations that leave the Tribunal on its appetite,” he added.
“Shabby Slave”
The magistrate is also concerned about other messages exchanged between the two individuals, which have been translated into French, in which the imam affirms that the Earth is flat and that school education must be rejected . “You are dearer to me than my person, my family, my parents, my children and everyone,” wrote the woman, who described herself as his “shabby slave”.
The couple have three children, one of whom is an adult. It was the mother’s ability to take the other two on a journey that was at the heart of the conflict.
“The Court is aware that X and Y would like to visit their mother’s family this summer [à] Bahrain and that they see in their father’s refusal a new way of controlling their lives. This judgment will disappoint them, wrote Judge Wery. But in light of the nature of some of their mother’s interactions with her Imam, the Tribunal finds that there are risks for them associated with this trip. »
In her divorce proceedings, the mother of the family accused her husband of various incidents of domestic violence, as well as physical and psychological abuse of the children.
The identity of all family members is protected, since this request is part of a divorce proceeding. The identity of the imam has also been anonymized. The latter would remain in Sweden, “but nothing would prevent him from going to join her [à] Bahrain or in another country in the region”, underlines the Superior Court.
Bahrain is a small island monarchy in the Persian Gulf. It has less than two million inhabitants and its economy is closely linked to oil.
Me Nadine Marchi, M.e Rosalie Larouche and M.e Ibtissem Maalaoui, the three lawyers in the file, did not call back The Press.