The trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., in 2021 is set to start on Tuesday. Jury selection will begin for the trial of Nathaniel Veltman who is accused of deliberately hitting the Afzaal family members with his truck as they
The trial of a man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., in 2021 is set to start on Tuesday.
Jury selection will begin for the trial of Nathaniel Veltman who is accused of deliberately hitting the Afzaal family members with his truck as they were out for a walk on the evening of June 6, 2021.
Superior Court Justice Renee Pomerance ruled last year that a change of venue is warranted in the case, moving the trial from London to Windsor, Ont.
The reasons for that decision, as well as the evidence and arguments presented in court, cannot be disclosed due to a publication ban.
Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed in the attack. The couple’s nine-year-old son was also seriously hurt but survived.
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Veltman, who was 20 at the time of his arrest, is facing four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in what prosecutors allege was an act of terrorism targeting London’s Muslim community.
(Left to right) Uthman Quick, director of communications at the National Council of Canadian Muslims; Imam Abd Alfatah Twakkal, chair of the London Council of Imams; and Aasyah Khan, interim chief operating officer of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, speak to reporters outside the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Windsor on Sept. 5, 2023. OMNI/Joseph Fazio
“We will watch this case very closely,” said Aasyah Khan, interim chief operating officer of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, outside the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Windsor.
“We are looking for justice for our London family and for our community to feel protected, to feel safe, and to know our justice system will do what is necessary to deter this from ever happening again. This moment must be a catalyst for change, so that all of us in this country feel safe just doing ordinary things in our community.”
Family members were not present at the press conference on Tuesday, but Khan and Imam Abd Alfatah Twakkal, chair of the London Council of Imams, spoke to the media ahead of the trial.
“Tomorrow, Sept. 6, marks exactly 27 months since the horrific tragedy struck the Muslim community in London, Ont. A senseless act of hatred, violence and terrorism abruptly ended the lives of four precious individuals from one family, representing three generations in a single blow,” said Imam Twakkal.
“Over the next several months as this trial takes place, our hope is that in the end, justice will be served.”
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