Man saw Canada as the ‘enemy,’ hearing is told

TORONTO — An under cover RCMP officer described Wednesday how a Toronto man told him he wanted to travel to Syria to fight with ISIL but decided to conduct a terrorist attack in Canada instead.

Jahanzeb Malik, 33, thought ISIL was “fulfilling a prophecy” and discussed routes he might take to join, but ultimately decided to strike in Toronto, the officer said.

At a hearing to decide whether Malik should be deported as a danger to Canada’s security, the officer said the Pakistani thought an attack on Canadians was justified because they were an “enemy” due to their military role in the Middle East.

The RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team began its six-month probe after Malik returned from a trip to Libya in 2013. Although he claimed he had taught at a school in Benghazi, authorities suspect he was active in al-Qaida during his time there and attended a training camp.

Malik was arrested March 9 but has not been charged with any crimes.