Man accused of Halifax U.S. consulate bomb threat derails court hearing
The accused held up a handwritten note after his lawyer said he wanted a Supreme Court trial.
HALIFAX — A man accused of threatening to bomb the U.S. consulate in Halifax in August made a court appearance Thursday morning via video link, but the hearing was quickly derailed.
Krysten Stevens, legal aid lawyer for 54-year-old Ali Assakereh, told a provincial court judge that the accused wanted to be tried by a judge alone in Nova Scotia Supreme Court and would plead not guilty.
Judge Barbara Beach said Assakereh would have to wait to enter his plea until the case came before the higher court.
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But Assakereh, who was seen listening to the proceedings on a telephone line and had complained several times about audio levels, then held up a handwritten note to the camera.
The note indicated he did not wish to change courts, PNI Atlantic News reported.
That prompted the judge to suggest that the election be postponed so defence lawyers can have further discussions with their client.
"To make it easier for everyone to communicate, Beach directed that Assakereh appear in court in person the next time," according to PNI Atlantic News.
A Farsi interpreter phoned in for Thursday's proceeding, but the judge wants him present in the courtroom in November as well.
The case has been adjourned until November.
Assakereh was arrested Aug. 10 for allegedly placing a propane tank and flammable liquids in his car and parking it near the consulate, prompting evacuations across a large section of downtown Halifax.
Police discovered the man's vehicle in the parkade at Purdy's Wharf at about 8:10 a.m. that day. A suspicious bag was also found nearby.
An explosives expert determined the propane and liquids in Assakereh's car posed no threat to public safety and all evacuation orders were lifted later in the day.
Assakereh is facing charges of mischief and uttering threats, as well as a charge under a section of the Criminal Code that prohibits threats against internationally protected people, including diplomats.
The Crown has said it considers the latter offence to be terrorist activity, which means it can pursue a penalty of up to life in prison instead of the usual maximum of five years.
The Crown opposed Assakereh's release when he first appeared in court on Aug. 11. He has not applied for bail.
The case was adjourned six times that month while lawyers worked on a bail plan, PNI Atlantic News reported.
Assakereh was arrested on Thomas Raddall Drive in Clayton Park on Aug. 10 at about 8:35 a.m. Some roads in that area were closed while his belongings were searched.
The alleged bomb threat came less than a week after two suspects were charged with shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto in July, the second such incident at the building this year.
A 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy are facing more than a dozen charges in that case.
The consulate in Toronto was previously targeted on March 10, when two suspects allegedly fired multiple shots at the building. An 18-year-old and a 19-year-old are facing multiple charges.
With files from The Canadian Press, CityNews and Global News