The Montrealer repatriated from Syria overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday remained detained to prevent her from fleeing or committing new crimes, after being accused at the Montreal courthouse of having participated in the terrorist activities of the Islamic State group. .
Posted at 7:59 p.m.
The Press revealed Tuesday that the woman, who had left the country at the age of 19 in 2014 to join the jihadists in the Middle East, was on her way to return to Quebec and that she would be arrested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP ) on arrival.
Arrived in Dorval on board an American plane in the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, in the company of her children born overseas, Oumaima Chouay was taken into custody. Her children are safe with people caring for them, police said.
“The situation of the children has been taken into consideration by RCMP investigators since the beginning of the case,” said Inspector David Beaudoin, of the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
In Iraq and Syria
Mme Chouay was accused of having participated in terrorist activities of the Islamic State (IS) group in Syria and Iraq between 2014 and 2018. She is also accused of having left Canada to engage in terrorist activities via Turkey. to join Syria, and to have financed ISIS, which is prohibited by Canadian law, due to the terrorist status of the organization. She is finally accused of having conspired with another young Montrealer, Rym Kermiche, as well as with other persons unknown until now, in order to leave Canada to participate in the activities of a terrorist organization. The fate of Mme Kermiche is unknown at this time.
During the brief appearance of Mr.me Chouay, the Crown prosecutor, Mr.e Marc Cigana, opposed the release of the accused, on the grounds that there would be reason to fear that she would not appear in court for the rest of the proceedings or that she would commit a new criminal offense after returning to society.
A release hearing will be held at a later date.
The accused, who appeared by videoconference, wore a black abaya and stared at the screen, seated in a room at RCMP headquarters in Westmount. She did not address the court. She was represented by Mr.e Audrey-Bianca Chabauty, from Ms.e Dominique Shoofey, a prominent criminal lawyer in Montreal.
The defense lawyer asked Judge Claude Leblond to order that the accused be seen in the infirmary, which the magistrate did. A thick summary of the facts of several dozen pages was handed over by the prosecution to the defense at the same time.
Long and difficult investigation
Inspector Beaudoin pointed out that the police investigation had started in 2014, as soon as the young woman left. At the time, several radicalized young Canadians had left to join Islamist fighters in the Middle East. The investigation was not easy, as the suspect was on the other side of the world.
“This type of investigation presents major challenges,” said Mr. Beaudoin.
“This is why we are particularly proud of the work done by the investigators,” he continued. He encouraged citizens to remain vigilant and report any information about terrorism or related suspicious activities.
The policeman did not want to say if other repatriations are to be expected soon, “in order to protect ongoing international operations”.
Authorities pointed out that when the Islamist “caliphate” established in Iraq and Syria by jihadists fell around 2017, Oumaima Chouay was captured by the Syrian Democratic Forces, a group of fighters supported by the United States in the northeast Syria. She spent nearly five years in a detention camp, with her children, in harsh conditions.
Visit of a diplomat
PHOTO PROVIDED BY THE AUTONOMOUS ADMINISTRATION OF NORTH AND EAST SYRIA
Canadian diplomat Sébastien Beaulieu, bottom left, meeting with local leaders of the anti-ISIS coalition
The Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria has also posted a video on its Facebook page showing a Canadian diplomat, Sébastien Beaulieu, personally thanking local officials for taking care of Canadian citizens in the middle of an “extremely difficult security situation”.
The other Canadian returnee, Kimberly Polman, a former Vancouver resident who was detained in the same camp as Oumaima Chouay, was also arrested upon arrival in Canada, but has not been charged with any criminal offences. Instead, the authorities used an article of law to force her to give a court pledge to keep the peace and abide by a series of conditions.
Global Affairs Canada remained quiet on the repatriation of the two women and two children. “The safety of Canadians is a top priority of the Government of Canada, both at home and abroad. Canada conducted the mission based on this principle and ensured the health and well-being of the four Canadians. Canada would also like to express its gratitude to the United States for its assistance during this operation,” the ministry said.