The judge in the case of the man who ran down a Muslim family in London has determined that the crimes were acts of terrorism.
Justice Renee Pomerance issued her ruling in a London courtroom on Thursday morning. Nathaniel Veltman, 23, already knew that he'd be serving a life sentence after a jury found him guilty of four counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of four members of the Afzaal family. On Thursday, Veltman also learned he will also serve a life sentence for his conviction of attempted murder.
"I have found that his actions constitute terrorist activity," Pomerance said at the beginning of her ruling.
Talat Afzaal, 74, her son Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, and their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah Afzaal were all killed and Salman and Madiha's son, who was nine at the time, was seriously injured but survived when Veltman intentionally drove his truck into them on June 6, 2021. The family was stopped at a crosswalk on Hyde Park and South Carriage Roads in London while out for an evening walk when the attack occurred.
"The events of June 6, 2021 have caused may to question their safety when going about their daily business on the streets of London, Ontario and beyond," Pomerance said. "It is my hope that this sense of fear and intimidation will not be the lasting legacy of this case. It is my hope that the judicial process will, through denunciation of the offender's actions send a different message to the community; namely that there is no place in Canadian society for the hatred and racism that spawned the offender's actions on June 6, 2021."
Pomerance noted during her finding of the facts that "the case for the Crown was compelling, if not overwhelming. The offender through his own words and actions, provided the necessary ingredients for findings of guilt."
She added that during his arrest and in the police interviews that followed Veltman seemed proud of what he'd done.
"There is every indication that the offender was anxious to take responsibility for what he had done. There is every indication that he not only foresaw the consequences of his actions, but set out to achieve those very consequences when he drove into the victims," she said.
Pomerance went on to say that there was a noticeable difference in Veltman's original statements to police and manifesto, A White Awakening, and in his testimony at court, in which he tried to distance himself from those previously expressed views. Veltman's defence team claimed that his manifesto was just him writing down his thoughts for a make believe audience that he never intended to share.
Pomerance disagreed.
"Viewed together, the offender's police statements and the manifesto portray a compelling picture of the offender's thoughts and motivations at the relevant time," she said.
She also picked apart the testimony of Dr. Julien Gojer, a forensic psychiatrist introduced by the defence. Pomerance said she attached "no weight" to his testimony when coming to her decision.
"I have carefully considered the contrasting arguments of the Crown an the defence," Pomerance concluded, before issuing the sentence. "Based on the jury verdicts, and my independent findings, it is an inescapable conclusion that the offender committed a terrorist act. One might go so far as to characterize this as a textbook example of terrorist motive and intent," she said.
Veltman showed very little emotion during the sentencing, either sitting with his eyes closed or staring into space.
In addition to the life sentences, Veltman will also be forced to provide a DNA sample, will be prohibited from possessing firearms, and cannot communicate with the member of the Afzaal family who survived the attack.
"Today's sentencing has brought relief to people near and far," read a statement from the Afzaal family that was given to reporters on Thursday. "As this trial comes to an end, we would like to thank the justice system, the crown attorneys, the team of investigators, London police department victim support services, RCMP, and media outlets for their efforts to bring justice to our loved ones. We would also like to thank our family and friends along with the community of London, Windsor, and the public at large for all their support during this difficult time."
Madiah's mother, Tabinda Bukhari, spoke following the sentencing.
"For us, the journey of healing continues. The scars, physical and emotional, will remain," she said. "But we choose not to reply to hate with more hate. We choose to honour the memory of our family by fighting for a world where such tragedies never happen again."
She added that as a society "we must confront the hate, not just condemn it."
Bukhari even spoke directly to Veltman during her statement.
"To the terrorist, your hate may have taken four beautiful lives and almost a fifth, but it will not win. As Canadians, we will always rise above, stronger and united," she said.
Defense lawyers Christopher Hicks and Peter Ketcheson also spoke briefly after the ruling. Hicks told the media that they expected the life sentence in regard to the attempted murder charge and that they are waiting for instructions from their client when it comes to any plans for appeal.
The trial began in September and was painstakingly argued by both sides. It is a precedent-setting case, as it's the first time in Canadian legal history that terrorism was argued in front of a jury as an element of first-degree murder.