A Canadian court on Thursday declared the killer of a Muslim family a terrorist and gave him a life sentence for the crime.
Nathaniel Veltman, 23, had deliberately run over and killed four members of a Pakistani-origin Muslim family with his pick-up truck in 2021. He had confessed to his crime soon after committing it.
Last November, Veltman was found guilty of first-degree murder in a crime that shocked Canada. Displaying little reaction to the decision, he was informed that he would have no chance of parole for 25 years. This ruling marks the first instance in which the term “terrorism” has been applied to describe an act of white nationalist violence, according to the presiding judge.
The judge in the case said Veltman’s attack represented an act of terrorism, the first time that the term has been used to describe white nationalist violence.
The attack took place in the Ontario town of London in June 2021, where Veltman targeted five members of the Afzaal family, originally from Pakistan, during their evening walk. The victims included Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah, and Afzaal’s 74-year-old mother Talat.
Crown attorney Sarah Shaikh, involved in the prosecution, characterized Veltman’s actions as a “uniquely abhorrent” crime directed at Muslims as a whole. She emphasized the intolerance of hatred and ideologically driven violence toward an entire community in a free and democratic society.
Despite Veltman’s not-guilty plea to murder charges, the court rejected his defense’s argument of mental challenges, maintaining that his actions constituted terrorist activity. Prosecutors presented evidence, including Veltman’s manifesto titled “A White Awakening,” in which he expressed hatred towards Islam and opposition to mass immigration and multiculturalism.
Veltman’s defense lawyer, Christopher Hicks, acknowledged the inevitability of the terrorism determination given the circumstances of the case and the complexities of the trial. While elements of an appeal may be present, Hicks noted the need to consult with Veltman before making any decisions.
