Crown seeks six years for would-be terrorist

Ontario prosecutors want a Toronto man who tried to join Daesh militants in Syria to spend six years behind bars, while his defence team is pushing for a sentence of about half that given what they say is their client’s commitment to deradicalization.

Pamir Hakimzadah, 29, pleaded guilty earlier this month to one count of leaving Canada to participate in a terrorist activity.

His lawyer, Luka Rados, argued for a sentence of three years and seven months plus three years probation at a sentencing hearing held Tuesday in Toronto. That would allow for Hakimzadah’s immediate release after he receives credit for time already spent in custody since his June 2016 arrest.

Court heard that Hakimzadah left Toronto in October 2014 and flew to Istanbul with the goal of finding a way into Syria to join Daesh, also known as ISIS and ISIL.

He was turned in to local authorities by a taxi driver in Turkey who suspected Hakimzadah wanted to join the terrorist group and was sent back to Canada. A family member then turned him over to police two years later. Hakimzadah admitted he viewed Daesh militant propaganda videos online and became sympathetic to their viewpoint.

In arguing for a shorter sentence, Rados outlined his client’s commitment to a deradicalization program that would involve “spiritual and psychiatric counselling.”