Alleged terrorist supporter accepts conditions of peace bond

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This article was published 02/02/2016 (3835 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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A Winnipeg man accused of having ties to terrorist activity has agreed to a peace bond that stops him from communicating with Islamic State and other terrorist groups.

Aaron Daniel Driver, who also has gone by the alias Harun Abdourahman, was released on a peace bond on Tuesday with 12 conditions — some expiring in August and others in December. But he is not facing criminal charges and he will not be going to trial.

The peace bond means federal justice officials believe there are reasonable grounds that Driver, 24, might aid a terrorist group or terrorist activity.

Provincial court Judge Ryan Rolston ordered Driver not to have a computer or cellphone until Aug. 31.

As well, Driver cannot be in possession of a firearm or explosives until the end of the year, and he is prohibited from being on social media sites or contacting IS.

He is also ordered to live at an address in Strathroy, Ont.

Federal Crown attorney Ian Mahon said the restrictions for computers end in August for Driver because that’s when things like a new school year begin.

“Computers are a necessary tool,” Mahon said Tuesday.

The Crown said Driver has been out on bail for several months but that now becomes a peace bond.

Driver declined comment.

Leonard Tailleur, Driver’s lawyer, said the peace bond conditions are almost exactly what he was arguing for last year when Driver was first detained.

“The Crown wanted the GPS monitoring and we didn’t,” Tailleur said.

“Now there is no GPS monitoring. I was prepared (months ago) to discuss reasonable conditions, but when they wanted to have others we had to contest it. Today is a compromise.”

Driver had been wearing a GPS ankle band but it was removed Tuesday.

Last year, police raided a home in Charleswood and arrested Driver, not charging him, but alleging he had ties to terrorist activity.

Federal justice officials applied for a peace bond, but Driver said he would fight it in court. After a few days in custody, Driver was let out on bail.

Driver’s court action on the matter was expected to take up most of this week, but was reduced to about 10 minutes.

Driver agreed to a word change in the peace bond from “will” to “may” in the line: “may participate in or contribute to, directly or indirectly, the activity of a terrorist group for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity.”

Driver also agreed to post a $1,000 bond, to meet with an RCMP officer in London, Ont., every two weeks, not go on any social media website, including Twitter, Facebook or Kik, and “not to contact or knowingly communicate… with any member of ISIS, ISIL, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and Al Qaida in Iraq or any affiliated groups.”

Mahon said when Driver’s peace bond expires on Dec. 1, “he’s done now unless there is a breach.”

The peace bond, which Driver agreed to, is in place because he “may participate in or contribute to, directly or indirectly, the activity of a terrorist group for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a terrorist group to facilitate or carry out a terrorist activity.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca