TORONTO — A Toronto man charged with terror offences after being accused of attacking soldiers at a military recruitment centre two years ago should be found not criminally responsible for his actions due to serious mental health issues, a forensic psychiatrist testified Thursday.

Ayanle Hassan Ali likely understood when he entered the recruitment centre that slashing at military personnel with a kitchen knife could cause physical harm, Dr. Philip Klassen, a Crown witness, said at the man's trial. But as a result of delusions and paranoia brought on by schizophrenia, Ali likely did not realize that harming soldiers in that situation was morally wrong, he said.

"I would say he was significantly compromised in terms of rational perception and rational choice," Klassen said.

"I also think he was personally suffering and wanted martyrdom, and some of that suffering was engendered by his illness," he added.

Ali has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, all "at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group."

His lawyers are asking the judge hearing the case to acquit Ali of the terror-related charges and find him not criminally responsible for the lesser included charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons offences.

The Crown, however, wants the 30-year-old to be found not criminally responsible for the terror offences, the defence has said in written arguments filed in court earlier this week. Ali's lawyers argue he is not a terrorist but simply a man who needs treatment for mental illness.

Finding someone not criminally responsible acknowledges that they committed the crime they are accused of but, as a result of a mental disorder, they were incapable at the time of appreciating that their actions could cause harm, or are unacceptable by societal standards, Ali's lawyers have explained in written arguments.

Ali entered a Canadian Forces recruitment office on March 14, 2016, and repeatedly punched and slashed at one soldier, leaving the man with a three-inch gash on his arm, according to an agreed statement of facts presented by the Crown and defence at trial.

Ali tried to stab or slash three other military personnel before being subdued, the statement said. </s> Man accused in military centre stabbings should be acquitted of terror charges: defence

TORONTO — Lawyers for a Toronto man accused of attacking soldiers at a military recruitment centre two years ago say he should be acquitted of terror-related charges and found not criminally responsible for lesser offences in the case on account of his mental state and the fact he has no affiliation to a terrorist group.

Ayanle Hassan Ali has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, all “at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group.”

The 2016 incident at a north Toronto military recruitment centre left at least two soldiers with minor injuries.

In written arguments filed as part of Ali’s trial, defence lawyers argue the 30-year-old — who a psychiatrist said shows signs of schizophrenia — should be acquitted on the terror-related charges altogether and found not criminally responsible for the lesser included charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons offences.

In other words, the defence is arguing that Ali did commit attempted murder, assault and weapons offences — for which he should be found not criminally responsible — but the crimes were not committed with any relation to a terror group.

“Terrorism is such a loaded term and connotes a level of dangerousness that … we worry that if he is in the system as not criminally responsible for terrorism, it might unfairly affect how he is treated,” defence Nader Hasan said in an interview. </s> TORONTO -- A Toronto man charged with terror offences after being accused of attacking soldiers at a military recruitment centre two years ago should be found not criminally responsible for his actions due to serious mental health issues, a forensic psychiatrist testified Thursday.

Ayanle Hassan Ali likely understood when he entered the recruitment centre that slashing at military personnel with a kitchen knife could cause physical harm, Dr. Philip Klassen, a Crown witness, said at the man's trial. But as a result of delusions and paranoia brought on by schizophrenia, Ali likely did not realize that harming soldiers in that situation was morally wrong, he said.

"I would say he was significantly compromised in terms of rational perception and rational choice," Klassen said.

"I also think he was personally suffering and wanted martyrdom, and some of that suffering was engendered by his illness," he added.

Ali has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, all "at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group."

His lawyers are asking the judge hearing the case to acquit Ali of the terror-related charges and find him not criminally responsible for the lesser included charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons offences.

The Crown, however, wants the 30-year-old to be found not criminally responsible for the terror offences, the defence has said in written arguments filed in court earlier this week. Ali's lawyers argue he is not a terrorist but simply a man who needs treatment for mental illness.

Finding someone not criminally responsible acknowledges that they committed the crime they are accused of but, as a result of a mental disorder, they were incapable at the time of appreciating that their actions could cause harm, or are unacceptable by societal standards, Ali's lawyers have explained in written arguments.

Ali entered a Canadian Forces recruitment office on March 14, 2016, and repeatedly punched and slashed at one soldier, leaving the man with a three-inch gash on his arm, according to an agreed statement of facts presented by the Crown and defence at trial.

Ali tried to stab or slash three other military personnel before being subdued, the statement said.

Klassen -- who interviewed Ali twice last fall, spoke to his family and reviewed thousands of pages of hospital observation notes about him -- told the court that Ali began to show signs of schizophrenia and develop "extremist" thoughts around the same time, and that the two were likely interrelated.

"It seems very unlikely that someone would suffer something as devastating as schizophrenia and become radicalized as two separate processes," he testified.

Ali is still "somewhat ambivalent" about the fact he failed to kill a soldier in the attack, Klassen said. But that could be a sign that Ali is still grappling with the effects of schizophrenia, he added.

Klassen said Ali also told him, during interviews last year, that his mental illness was caused by Jinns -- spirits from Muslim mythology -- that were inside him, and by a stroke he claims to have had -- which Klassen and another doctor have both called a delusion.

"I would say the medication has been helpful ΓÇª but there is some residual delusional thinking," Klassen said.

Klassen was the second psychiatrist to testify in favour of Ali being found not criminally responsible for his actions.

On Monday, defence witness Dr. Gary Chaimowitz, who has supervised Ali's treatment as an in-patient at a forensic psychiatry hospital unit for most of the past two years, testified that Ali has shown signs of schizophrenia, including delusions and paranoia, since about 2010.

Chaimowitz and Klassen were the only two witnesses called during the evidence portion of the trial.

Ali is scheduled to return to court April 20, when defence lawyers are expected to make further legal arguments about his criminal responsibility. </s> Lawyers for a Toronto man accused of attacking soldiers at a military recruitment centre two years ago say he should be acquitted of terror-related charges and found not criminally responsible for lesser offences in the case on account of his mental state and the fact he has no affiliation to a terrorist group.

Ayanle Hassan Ali has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, all "at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group."

The 2016 incident at a north Toronto military recruitment centre left at least two soldiers with minor injuries.

In written arguments filed as part of Ali's trial, defence lawyers argue the 30-year-old — who a psychiatrist said shows signs of schizophrenia — should be acquitted on the terror-related charges altogether and found not criminally responsible for the lesser included charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons offences.

'Someone who is mentally ill who needs to get better'

In other words, the defence is arguing that Ali did commit attempted murder, assault and weapons offences — for which he should be found not criminally responsible — but the crimes were not committed with any relation to a terror group.

The attack happened at the Joseph Shepard Building, which houses several federal government agencies, on Yonge Street near Sheppard Avenue. (Natalie Kalata/CBC) "Terrorism is such a loaded term and connotes a level of dangerousness that ... we worry that if he is in the system as not criminally responsible for terrorism, it might unfairly affect how he is treated," defence Nader Hasan said in an interview.

"More fundamentally though, he's not a terrorist, he's someone who is ill, and so this process and the ultimate disposition ought to reflect that reality and ultimately what we want is that he is treated as someone who is mentally ill who needs to get better."

The Crown, however, wants Ali to be found not criminally responsible for the terror offences, defence documents show.

Prosecutors are expected to make their case and call witnesses in court later this week.

'No evidence of any connection' with any group

Hasan said Ali would be in custody at a secure treatment facility whether he is found not criminally responsible on the terror charges or the lesser included offences.

Finding someone not criminally responsible acknowledges that the person committed the crime they are accused of but, as a result of a mental disorder, they were incapable at the time of appreciating that their actions could cause harm, or were unacceptable by societal standards, Ali's lawyers explained in their arguments.

Ayanle Hassan Ali has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, all 'at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group.' (CBC) The incident at the centre of the case began when Ali entered a Canadian Forces recruitment office in March 2016 and repeatedly punched and slashed at one soldier, leaving the man with a three-inch gash on his arm, according to an agreed statement of facts presented by the Crown and defence at trial.

Ali tried to stab or slash three other military personnel — one of whom was left with bruises and a "small, superficial nick" — before being subdued, the statement said.

There is "no evidence of any connection" between Ali and any other person or group in relation to the crimes, and the Crown "does not allege that Mr. Ali committed the ... offences for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with anyone but himself," prosecutors acknowledged in the agreed statement of facts.

If Ali was not affiliated with any terrorist group, he cannot be guilty of terror offences, because Canadian terror law "does not apply to alleged one-person terrorist groups," Hasan and co-counsel Maureen Addie argued in their filings.

"In creating (anti-terror laws), Parliament was not intending to target individuals working alone, but to provide additional censure to people who commit indictable offences to assist terrorist groups," they argued.

In the weeks after his arrest, Ali was sent to a forensic psychiatry hospital unit, where he has remained in the two years

since.

On Monday, a psychiatrist who supervised Ali's care testified that the man has shown signs of schizophrenia, including delusions and paranoia, since about 2010.

Around the time of the attack, Ali believed the government was listening to him and thought he was being possessed by spirits from Muslim mythology known as Jinns, Dr. Gary Chaimowitz said.

Ali became angry over Canadian military involvement in Muslim countries and came to feel that if he martyred himself all his sins would be forgiven in the afterlife, the doctor told the court.

Ali's trial resumes Thursday. </s> TORONTO — Lawyers for a Toronto man accused of attacking soldiers at a military recruitment centre two years ago say he should be acquitted of terror-related charges and found not criminally responsible for lesser offences in the case on account of his mental state and the fact he has no affiliation to a terrorist group.

Ayanle Hassan Ali has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, all "at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group."

The 2016 incident at a north Toronto military recruitment centre left at least two soldiers with minor injuries.

In written arguments filed as part of Ali's trial, defence lawyers argue the 30-year-old — who a psychiatrist said shows signs of schizophrenia — should be acquitted on the terror-related charges altogether and found not criminally responsible for the lesser included charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons offences.

In other words, the defence is arguing that Ali did commit attempted murder, assault and weapons offences — for which he should be found not criminally responsible — but the crimes were not committed with any relation to a terror group.

"Terrorism is such a loaded term and connotes a level of dangerousness that ... we worry that if he is in the system as not criminally responsible for terrorism, it might unfairly affect how he is treated," defence Nader Hasan said in an interview.

"More fundamentally though, he's not a terrorist, he's someone who is ill, and so this process and the ultimate disposition ought to reflect that reality and ultimately what we want is that he is treated as someone who is mentally ill who needs to get better."

The Crown, however, wants Ali to be found not criminally responsible for the terror offences, defence documents show. Prosecutors are expected to make their case and call witnesses in court later this week.

Hasan said Ali would be in custody at a secure treatment facility whether he is found not criminally responsible on the terror charges or the lesser included offences.

Finding someone not criminally responsible acknowledges that the person committed the crime they are accused of but, as a result of a mental disorder, they were incapable at the time of appreciating that their actions could cause harm, or were unacceptable by societal standards, Ali's lawyers explained in their arguments. </s> Lawyers for a Toronto man accused of attacking soldiers at a military recruitment centre two years ago say he should be acquitted of terror-related charges and found not criminally responsible for lesser offences in the case on account of his mental state and the fact he has no affiliation to a terrorist group.

Ayanle Hassan Ali has pleaded not guilty to three counts of attempted murder, three counts of assault with a weapon, two counts of assault causing bodily harm and one count of carrying a weapon for the purpose of committing an offence, all "at the direction of or in association with a terrorist group."

In written arguments filed as part of Ali's trial, defence lawyers argue the 30-year-old — who a psychiatrist said shows signs of schizophrenia — should be acquitted on the terror-related charges altogether and found not criminally responsible for the lesser included charges of attempted murder, assault and weapons offences.

'Someone who is mentally ill who needs to get better'

"More fundamentally though, he's not a terrorist, he's someone who is ill, and so this process and the ultimate disposition ought to reflect that reality and ultimately what we want is that he is treated as someone who is mentally ill who needs to get better."

The Crown, however, wants Ali to be found not criminally responsible for the terror offences, defence documents show.

Prosecutors are expected to make their case and call witnesses in court later this week.

'No evidence of any connection' with any group

Hasan said Ali would be in custody at a secure treatment facility whether he is found not criminally responsible on the terror charges or the lesser included offences.

Ali tried to stab or slash three other military personnel — one of whom was left with bruises and a "small, superficial nick" — before being subdued, the statement said.

There is "no evidence of any connection" between Ali and any other person or group in relation to the crimes, and the Crown "does not allege that Mr. Ali committed the ... offences for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with anyone but himself," prosecutors acknowledged in the agreed statement of facts.

If Ali was not affiliated with any terrorist group, he cannot be guilty of terror offences, because Canadian terror law "does not apply to alleged one-person terrorist groups," Hasan and co-counsel Maureen Addie argued in their filings.

"In creating (anti-terror laws), Parliament was not intending to target individuals working alone, but to provide additional censure to people who commit indictable offences to assist terrorist groups," they argued.

On Monday, a psychiatrist who supervised Ali's care testified that the man has shown signs of schizophrenia, including delusions and paranoia, since about 2010.

Around the time of the attack, Ali believed the government was listening to him and thought he was being possessed by spirits from Muslim mythology known as Jinns, Dr. Gary Chaimowitz said.

Ali became angry over Canadian military involvement in Muslim countries and came to feel that if he martyred himself all his sins would be forgiven in the afterlife, the doctor told the court. </s> A Montreal man who told investigators that his mission was “to kill and be killed” was convicted of terrorism and other crimes Tuesday in the stabbing of a Michigan airport officer.

READ MORE: Terrorism investigation launched after Canadian Amor Ftouhi accused of stabbing Michigan cop in neck

Federal prosecutors had an easy time persuading jurors: Witnesses wrestled Amor Ftouhi to the ground after seeing him attack Lt. Jeff Neville at the Flint airport in June 2017.

Ftouhi, 53, was convicted of three charges. A native of Tunisia, he also had Canadian citizenship and was living in Montreal at the time of the attack.

“This isn’t a mystery. He was caught right there. He has the knife in his hand,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Cathleen Corken told jurors.

WATCH: Montreal man accused in Flint airport stabbing says it was ‘his mission’

Investigators say Ftouhi wanted to stab Neville, seize his gun and shoot people in the airport. He legally drove into the U.S. at Champlain, N.Y., and arrived in Flint five days later. He tried unsuccessfully to buy a gun at a gun show and instead bought a large knife.

Witnesses said he yelled, “Allahu Akbar” – God is great – during the attack.

Neville survived but has lost feeling in part of his face as a result of being stabbed in the neck. He no longer works at the airport.

READ MORE: Terrorism investigation launched after Canadian Amor Ftouhi accused of stabbing Michigan cop in neck

“This is what a Muslim is born for,” Ftouhi said in a handwritten note to his wife that was found in his apartment.

FBI agent Shadi Elreda told jurors about his interview with Ftouhi after his arrest. He said Ftouhi was upset that Neville might survive.

“His mission was to kill and be killed. He said his mission was not over,” Elreda testified.

Ftouhi’s lawyers didn’t offer an opening statement at trial and didn’t call any witnesses. In her closing argument, attorney Joan Morgan said Ftouhi was unstable and believed it would be easier to be killed by police in the United States than in Canada.

WATCH: Stabbed officer in Flint airport attack was millimeters from death

“He was a person who was absolutely looking for a way out,” she said.

Neville described the attack in testimony last week. “I was watching this puddle of blood underneath me that was spreading and I just remember how weird that was. … I felt like if I laid down on my back, I might not get back up,” he said.

Airport police Chief Chris Miller said he jumped on Ftouhi and tried to handcuff him.

“He said, ‘Allahu Akbar. You have killed people in Afghanistan, and you have killed people in Iraq,”‘ Miller testified. </s> A Canadian appeals court on Tuesday ordered a new trial for two men accused of plotting to derail a passenger train travelling between Toronto and New York, citing errors in the jury selection.

Tunisian national Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jaser, a Canadian resident of Palestinian descent, were convicted in 2015 of an Al-Qaeda-backed conspiracy to commit murders and sentenced to life in prison.

But the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled that the trial judge mishandled the jury selection process, resulting in an "improperly constituted jury," which means their verdict cannot stand.

The trial heard that the pair were "motivated by Islamic extremism and had planned terrorist attacks on non-Muslim targets or victims."

The attack allegedly would have marked the start of a campaign of terror to try to convince Canada and its allies to leave Muslim lands.

Prosecutors said the pair had planned to cut a large hole in a railway bridge to derail a Via Rail train, with the aim of killing and injuring passengers and crew.

Esseghaier, who was doing doctoral research in Canada, acted on instructions from overseas extremists, they alleged.

Key evidence came in the form of recordings by an undercover FBI agent who befriended the pair. </s> TORONTO — Ontario’s highest court has ordered a new trial for two men found guilty of terrorism charges in connection with a plot to derail a passenger train.

The Court of Appeal for Ontario says the jury that convicted Raed Jaser and Chiheb Esseghaier was improperly selected, which means its verdict cannot stand.

Jaser and Esseghaier were found guilty in 2015 on a total of eight terror-related charges between them. They were sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole until 2023.

Lawyers for Jaser argued the trial judge mistakenly rejected their client’s request regarding the method of jury selection.

The lawyer appointed to assist Esseghaier — who continues to be self-represented — agreed in written arguments that a new trial must be ordered on that ground.

The law regarding jury selection was in flux during the trial but the appeal court says the approach used by the judge has since been deemed wrong.

Several other cases have been overturned due to similar errors in recent years.

Jaser had also raised other grounds for appeal but the jury issue was heard first.

Both men also previously indicated they wished to challenge their sentences, but the call for a new trial makes that unnecessary.
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Lawyers representing Ayanle Hassan Ali, accused of three attempted murders in a 2016 Toronto knife attack on Canadian soldiers, say he should be acquitted entirely of allegations the charges had a terrorist motive and found not criminally responsible for the underlying offences on the grounds of his mental health.