A man from Calgary has been convicted of terrorism-related offenses after a judge determined that he had been fighting for ISIS in Syria more than 12 years ago. Jamal Taan Borhot, aged 35, was found guilty of three terrorism-related charges following an 11-month period in Syria between May 2013 and April 2014. The Court of King’s Bench Justice Corina Dario delivered the verdict in the presence of eight of Borhot’s family members who were in court.
Following the conviction, Borhot’s bail was revoked by Dario, and he was taken into custody by sheriffs. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for a later date. Jamal Borhot and his cousin Hussein Borhot were both charged by the RCMP in 2020. Hussein had previously pleaded guilty to similar offenses in 2022 and received a 12-year prison sentence.
The legal proceedings in Jamal Borhot’s case faced various delays, including changes in defense counsel and federal court proceedings regarding the disclosure of sensitive information to Borhot and his lawyer. The trial could only commence after these matters were resolved. Dario had previously dismissed a defense motion seeking to dismiss the charges due to delays.
Justice Dario based her decision on travel records, Facebook messages exchanged by Borhot, and intercepted phone calls he had with family members and a friend. Prosecutors presented evidence during the trial indicating that Borhot had trained with and fought for ISIS, assumed a leadership role within the organization, produced propaganda videos for ISIS, and tried to recruit individuals to join the group.
Upon his return to Canada, Borhot denied ever traveling to Syria when questioned by law enforcement. Intercepted communications in 2020 revealed conversations between Borhot and his family members discussing his involvement with ISIS in Syria. The prosecution also highlighted Facebook messages sent by Borhot promoting ISIS and expressing extremist views towards non-Muslims.
In response, Borhot’s defense counsel argued that the Crown had not sufficiently proven which specific group Borhot had associated with and suggested that the incriminating Facebook messages and intercepted calls could have been fabricated to enhance Borhot’s reputation within his community and family.