A Yemeni citizen arrested in the Toronto area on terrorism allegations has been charged with uttering threats, Global News has learned.
Husam Taha Ali Al-Sewaiee was taken into custody on April 19 as he was allegedly preparing to leave Canada to join a terrorist group.
But his court file shows that four days before that, he was arrested in Peel Region for uttering threats. Peel Police also confirmed the arrest.
The 32-year-old appeared in court for a bail hearing last Thursday. A publication ban prevents news organizations from reporting on the allegations disclosed in court.
Sources have told Global News that Al-Sewaiee was trying to join an Iranian-backed terrorist faction. Yemen is the home of the Houthi rebel group Ansarallah.
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The Houthis are aligned with the Iranian-led ‘axis of resistance,’ which includes Hamas and Hezbollah, according to the Public Safety Canada website.
“In the context of the Israel-Hamas war, Ansarallah began disruptive strikes on commercial and military vessels in the Red Sea and other waterways, as well as strikes against Israel,” it said.
A missile fired by the Houthis struck near Israel’s main airport on Sunday. Israeli forces responded on Monday with air strikes on dozens of Houthi targets.
Al-Sewaiee remains in custody. His bail hearing was scheduled to resume on Thursday at the Brampton, Ont., courthouse.
The RCMP national security team has asked the court to place Al-Sewaiee under a terrorism peace bond that would protect the public.
Terrorism peace bonds impose conditions on suspects such as driving and travel bans, but they do not amount to a criminal charge.
Al-Sewaiee has used an Arabic interpreter during his court appearances. His social media accounts show him attending Gaza protests in Canada.
The charges list his address as a house in Kitchener, Ont., but the homeowner said he did not live there and had “mental issues.”
Prior to his arrival in Ontario, he appears to have lived in B.C.’s Lower Mainland, where court records show he was cited for a traffic violation in North Vancouver in 2021.
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