Judge rules attack on Afzaal family in London, Ont. as terrorism

A judge in London, Ont. has ruled that the attack that killed four members of the Afzaal family in June 2021 is terrorism.

Fifteen-year-old Yumnah Afzaal, her parents 44-year-old Madiha Salman and 46-year-old Salman Afzaal and 74-year-old grandmother Talat Afzaal were killed and her younger brother injured, when the family was struck by a pickup truck driven by Nathaniel Veltman on June 6, 2021.

Veltman was convicted on Nov. 16 of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for intentionally running down the Muslim family.

On Thursday, Justice Renee Pomerance ruled that Veltman’s attack consisted of terrorism.

Veltman faces two concurrent life sentences for the attempted murder of the boy and first-degree murder of the four other family members, with parole possible after 25 years.

It’s a monumental decision as this case was the first time in Canadian history that terrorism laws were put before a jury in a first-degree murder trial.

READ MORE: Afzaal family rejects apology as sentencing of Nathaniel Veltman continues

Members of the Afzaal family say they are not sure if the verdict amounts to closure or justice.

“For us, the journey of healing continues. The Scars, physical and emotional will remain,” says Tabinda Bukhari, Madiha’s mother.

Bukhari explains, despite the verdicts’ measure of justice, addressing racism in Canada is how best to honour the memory of their London family, and the fault lines run deep in our society.

Madiha’s Uncle Ali Islam had a similar sentiment, “closure is not possible. What is possible is to channel June 6, into positive change.”

Justice Renne Pomrance completely rejected Nathaniel Veltman’s defense, and agreed with the crown’s arguments, telling a packed courtroom the attack was “a textbook example of terrorist motive and intent.”

Pomerance called it a “barbaric” attack on June 6, 2021, was an attack on Canadian society as a whole, saying “when hate-fueled violence is directed at some of us it is directed at all of us.”

READ MORE: Sentencing hearing continues for man found guilty in attack on Muslim family

The crown attorney Sarah Shaikh said, “the offender’s attack was not only targeted and directed towards the Afzaal family, it was also directed and targeted towards the entire Muslim community.”

The terrorism designation won’t increase Veltman’s sentence, but it could impact any chance at future parole.

Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia Amira Elghawaby said “the identification that this act was an act of terrorism serves a symbolic purpose to send a signal.”

Pomerance sentenced Veltman to life in prison for the attempted murder of the Afzaal boy, rejecting the defense’s call for ten years.

He was also sentenced to a concurrent mandatory life in prison for the four counts of first-degree murder.

Defense attorney Christopher Hicks said “well there may be a conviction and sentence appeal, we’ll see. It was a long trial, it was a difficult trial, there were many challenges and major issues.”

While today’s verdict closes this public chapter of the horrific attack in London, a lifetime of private grieving for the family left behind remains.

Tabinda says “memories never close, you just remember them all the time.”