Court says hand over ‘jihadist’ interview

OTTAWA, April 1, (AFP): A court has ordered a Canadian news outlet to hand over records of a reporter’s online chat with an alleged jihadist to federal police, according to the ruling obtained by AFP Thursday.

The information includes screenshots of an online chat between Vice Media reporter Ben Makuch and Farah Shirdon, a Canadian charged in absentia last September with leaving the country to join a banned terrorist group, threatening Canada and its allies, and related offences.

Shirdon is suspected of involvement with the Islamic State group. Police said he travelled to Iraq or Syria join the group in March 2014.

Between June and October 2014 Makuch wrote three articles published by Vice Media about Shirdon’s involvement with IS, based on communications with him.