A Moroccan terrorist convicted in Quebec nearly two decades ago was denied parole in a ruling that said he had no remorse and continued to legitimize violence.
Said Namukh, 52, remains a “serious, even alarming risk” despite being behind bars since 2007, according to Parole Board of Canada.
In its ruling, the Council noted that “there are no signs of deradicalization” in relation to Namukh, who was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2010 and faces deportation upon his release.
Although Namukh insisted that he no longer believed in “jihad to fight injustice and oppression”, the Parole Board said it could not take his word for it.
The board rejected Namukh's latest request for parole. The decision was made on December 9. An edited version was published in Global News on Friday.
This is the latest parole decision affecting the Canadian growing number of terrorist criminalssome of whom have not changed their extremist views while in prison.
In one case, an ISIS sympathizer who held attack in Toronto was released from prison only to be arrested again because she vowed to strike again when she was released.
A Toronto man who served a sentence for terrorism it was similar arrested again when al-Qaeda bomb and poison instructions were found on his phone.
Sketch of Said Namukh in the courtroom, February 17, 2010. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Delphine Bergeron.
The Parole Board's decision regarding Namukh comes amid increased security concerns in Canada after an ISIS-led anti-Semitic attack in Australia.
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On Friday, Three Toronto men have been charged. with hate crimes targeting women and Jews. One of them was also charged with terrorism linked to ISIS.
Namukh was one of the first to be convicted under Canada's anti-terrorism legislation enacted in response to the September 11, 2001 al-Qaeda attacks on the United States.
After immigrating to Canada in 2003, he joined the Global Islamic Media Front. Terrorist group associated with Al-Qaeda which produces propaganda and educational manuals in several languages.
In 2006, Namukh began working with GIMF staff in Europe, threatening governments and planning attacks, particularly suicide bombings.
He believed in “ideas that promote violence in the name of religion” and was “convinced that it is justifiable to give one's life for jihad,” the Parole Board said.
Police arrested him in 2007, he was found guilty of four counts of terrorism and sentenced to life in prison, but he was allowed to apply for parole after serving 10 years.
At a parole hearing earlier this month, the Board said Namuh refused to participate in a psychological risk assessment that found he remained at a “significant/concerning risk of violent recidivism.”
The board said he had received a warning from prison officials “relating to the production of religious pamphlets” that were found in his cell, and that he had led Muslim prayers in violation of regulations.
In making its decision, the Parole Board said it was not convinced Namukh had undergone a “genuine change in thinking” during his years behind bars.
He insisted that GIMF is not a terrorist group and continues to “legitimize the use of violence in certain situations,” according to the decision.
His recent logbook entries indicate that he continues to view the world through the lens of the oppressed and the oppressors, which is “consistent with the logic that motivated your crimes,” the Council wrote.
“You show little or no remorse or empathy for the victims of your crimes, but express some guilt for those who must live without them as a result of your imprisonment,” the decision states.
The council also noted that Namukha's case management team was of the view that “you continue to legitimize the use of violence in certain situations, such as self-defense or defense of your country. Your feelings of persecution, discrimination and victimization remain evident.”
When Namu is released from prison, he will likely be arrested by the Canada Border Services Agency, which has been ordered to deport him.
But Namoukh could also delay his departure from Canada, saying he would be at risk if returned to Morocco and could be released from custody while the CBSA processed his request, the board said.
Calling his progress “limited and insufficient,” the Board denied him parole, writing that “in its opinion, the risk you pose would be unacceptable to society, particularly in Canada, pending your deportation.”
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