Edmonton: Muslim migrant who attacked cop in U-Haul rampage will go on trial, but not for terrorism

Abdulahi Hasan Sharif has undergone two psychiatric assessments and is not being charged with terrorism, even though this was obviously a case of vehicular jihad. Canadian authorities, like authorities all over the West, cling to the belief that jihad terror activity is extremely rare, and many, if not most, instances of it is simply a manifestation of mental illness.

If Edmonton authorities think psychiatrists can cure jihad, they’re really crazy.

“Man charged in Edmonton U-Haul rampage will go to trial,” by Karen Bartko, Global News, March 14, 2018 (thanks to Paul):

After undergoing two psychiatric assessments, the man charged in the September 2017 Edmonton attacks will go to trial.

Abdulahi Hasan Sharif is charged with five counts of attempted murder and dangerous driving in an attack on an Edmonton police officer. Four people were injured when they were hit with a U-Haul truck.

The case was delayed a month because at his last court date in February, Sharif had yet to undergo his second mental health assessment at Alberta Hospital. He has since been assessed and doctors determined mental health issues did not leave him “not criminally responsible (NCR)” at time of the Sept. 30 offence.

“Essentially he has been deemed fit to stand trial,” defence lawyer Karanpal Aujla said. “So essentially we move on to the next step, depending on what that may be. It will be decided in some short little while. As of right now, we have waived the prelim at the provincial court and elected the matter to go to [Court of] Queen’s Bench with judge alone.”

The trial is scheduled to begin May 4 at the Edmonton courthouse.

Aujla said he was surprised by the doctor’s decision, saying the assessment was quite thorough and, in his opinion, found “substantial mental health issues.”

“However, the test required for NCR is quite, quite high and the mental health issues that were found don’t necessarily raise to the level for him to be NCR. But I was definifely [sic] surprised because I thought there would be significant mental health issues,” Aujla said.

Sharif’s first psychiatric assessment, carried out in December and January, determined he was fit to stand trial as he could understand the legal proceedings and give directions to his lawyer….

Sharif is a Somali refugee who came to Canada in 2012 and had been on police radar for a few years. He is married and his wife lives in Africa. He has no dependent children in his care.