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| Great White North |
| Slain Muslim was to testify in death-threat case |
| 2003-01-10 |
| Salim Jiwa for The Ottawa Citizen Canadian Muslim leader Riasat Ali Khan, who was killed Monday, was to testify at the trial of a man accused of uttering death threats after he was evicted from a mosque in Vancouver last year. Police had been looking for the man since he failed to appear for his first court hearing Dec. 6 on a charge of uttering death threats in which both Mr. Khan and a former associate of convicted bomb plotter Ahmed Ressam were expected to testify. Faiez Khamis Izahdeh allegedly vowed to kill fellow Muslims at the Jamiah Mosque on West 8th Avenue. Took 'em long enough to get around to admitting the killer's likely a fellow A member of the congregation, Mr. Izahdeh's trial was to begin Tuesday. Mr. Khan died early Monday after he was shot five times in the back outside his home in suburban Surrey. Mr. Izahdeh, who was given a suspended sentence after being convicted of assault charges several years ago, had been ordered to stay away from the mosque as part of his bail condition. "Someone had uttered threats against my dad and a few others at the Vancouver mosque," the victim's son, Haroon Khan, said yesterday. "My dad had attended the mosque and a man was becoming very belligerent and he had asked the man to leave. A man said, 'You are all cowards and I will slaughter you all.'" "Yes! Yes! The killing was totally justified! He didn't let me have my way! How could a jury convict me of killing him for that?" |
| Posted by:Fred Pruitt |