A London, Ont. judge has handed down her sentence in the case of Nathaniel Veltman, convicted of killing four members of a Muslim family and seriously injuring a young boy in June of 2021.
Veltman, 23, was found guilty in November of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for hitting the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a walk on June 6, 2021.
Talat Afzaal, 74, her son Salman, 46, his wife Madiha, 44, and their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah were all killed while their then nine-year-old son was seriously injured.
The Court has ruled that the horrific attack on the five members of the Afzaal family was a “textbook example of terrorist motive and intent.”
Canada’s Special Representative on Combatting Islamophobia Amira Elghawaby said in a statement, “Today, sentencing in the Afzaal family trial concluded with a decision that has met the expectations of the family members and Canada’s Muslim communities. This decision will have profound reverberations throughout Canadian society.”
“This designation adds to the perpetrator’s previous murder convictions and marks the first time in Canadian history that a case involving white nationalism has met the threshold of terrorism,” she said.
London’s Muslim community has waited for nearly three years to see justice served in this case, which has devastated family, friends, and the wider community. Earlier this month, over 70 victim impact statements were read in the courtroom, including a statement on behalf of the lone surviving family member, the couple’s son who was just nine years old at the time of the attack.
“Unfortunately, this is not the first time that Islamophobia has had deadly consequences in Canada, and incidents of Islamophobia have been on the rise. Canada has had the highest number of targeted deadly attacks against Muslims of any G7 country.
Today’s decision sends a strong message that Muslim communities in Canada must be protected against ideologically motivated violent extremism. It affirms that targeted, heinous, and hate-motivated attacks like this one are acts of terrorism, and perpetrators will and must face the full extent of the law.
We also must see urgent efforts to address the proliferation of online hate that can contribute to the radicalization of individuals who may commit such heinous acts of violence. As the judge ruled, this case may stand as “a cautionary tale”, considering that “the tentacles of hate can reach a broad audience when they are merely a click away.”
This decision will not bring back “Our London Family”, as the Afzaal family is fondly remembered. Yet, it will provide some comfort to communities who demand equity and justice from our laws and from our institutions.
Our thoughts continue to be with the families and friends of those who were tragically taken from their community, as the magnitude of this heavy loss continues to be felt in their lives every day. We must recommit to working together to combat the hate and Islamophobia that continues to threaten our lives and livelihoods as equal members of Canadian society.”
