Accused in military attack needs mental aid, cousin says
‘He’s sick,’ says relative, adding that Ayanle Hassan Ali recently isolated himself from family
Ayanle Hassan Ali belongs in a mental hospital rather than jail, a relative says.
Ali, 27, made a brief appearance at a Finch Ave. courthouse on Thursday and is due back on March 30.
Khadra Barkhadle, a cousin who accompanied Ali’s mother to the courthouse on Thursday and says she has known the family 25 years, says Ali started acting unusual a couple of years ago.
He became withdrawn and dropped his studies at the University of Calgary to take care of his sick mother, Barkhadle said later in a phone interview.
“He was isolated. He didn’t want to deal with anybody — not friends, not family,” she said.
Ali is accused in the March 14 stabbing attack at a Canadian Forces recruitment centre at Sheppard Ave. W. and Yonge St. The charges against him include attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Barkhadle says Ali had gone there that day intending to renew his mom’s pass- port. The building is also home to the North York Passport Canada Office. “He’s sick, the boy,” she said. When Ali walked into the courtroom on Thursday wearing a baggy white shirt, his mother sobbed and hid her face in a white-and-grey shawl. He didn’t speak except to identify himself to the judge and sat in the prisoner’s box.
His lawyer, Noah Schachter, said he couldn’t comment on whether Ali has received a psychiatric assessment, citing a publication ban and client privilege.
“I asked for him to receive medical attention, just in case, but it will be done at the institution where he’s currently being held — just to ensure that a doctor sees him in case there are any issues,” he told reporters.
Mariam Adam, a cousin of Ali’s mother, previously described him as a “very charismatic, very caring person” who suffers from mental illness.