Local MP issues rebuke of court decision on Enderby’s alleged ISIS supporter

A security risk to Canada and a liar.

That’s how North Okanagan Shuswap MP Mel Arnold views Othman Hamdan who is expected to live in Enderby with his bondsperson after a federal court upheld his release from immigration detention.

“Tuesday’s federal court decision upholding a release order for Mr. Othman Hamdan is a source of serious concern for me and my fellow Canadians in the North Okanagan-Shuswap and beyond,” Arnold said in a statement released to media Thursday.

The 38-year-old Hamdan, an alleged supporter of the terror group ISIS, will be under about 25 conditions as part of his release, and could live in the community for up to a year while he awaits possible deportation back to his home country of Jordan.

Judge Alan Diner ruled Hamdan did not pose a danger to the public if released with appropriate conditions.

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Arnold, a Conservative MP, doesn’t feel the conditions are adequate or that Hamdan will abide by them.

“Hamdan used 14 different Facebook accounts to promote terrorist attacks in Canada and celebrated the cold-blooded terror killings of Canadian soldiers on Canadian soil. In his 2018 decision, federal court Justice Harrington clearly wrote ‘Mr. Hamdan is an unmitigated liar. One must wonder if he has uttered one truthful word since he came to Canada in 2002,'” Arnold said.

Arnold said he will continue to engage with the citizens and municipal government of Enderby and ensure the Minister of Public Safety and Minister of Immigration are aware of the “shared concerns and opposition to Hamdan’s release.”

“By stating these conditions are adequate and apparently believing Hamdan will abide by them, Diner and [Immigration Board member Geoff] Rempel seem to ignore previous warnings of their own colleagues that Hamdan is both a security risk to Canada and a liar,” Arnold said.

Hamdan’s conditions ban him from using a vehicle, social media or having access to the internet, and he will also be under a curfew.

Enderby Mayor Greg McCune said residents are surprised at the decision.

“It’s mostly a bit of disbelief and just frustration in the actual system itself,” McCune told Global News.

McCune felt the ruling didn’t take into account the community’s concerns and fears, but he’s not worried about safety.

“He’s got a checklist of 25 items he supposed to adhere to, and if he doesn’t, I’m sure that will trigger faster responses from the officials.”