A Canadian white supremacist, Nathaniel Veltman, 23, has been sentenced to life in prison for deliberately running over four members of a Muslim family in an act of terrorism. The attack, which took place in London, Ontario, shocked the nation and resulted in the deaths of Salman Afzaal, 46; his wife, Madiha Salman, 44; their daughter Yumnah, 15; and Afzaal’s mother, Talat, 74. The couple’s nine-year-old son survived but sustained serious injuries.
Judge Renee Pomerance of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, during Veltman’s sentencing on Thursday, declared that his actions constituted terrorist activity. This marks the first time the term “terrorism” has been used to describe white nationalist violence in Canada. The assault, which occurred in 2021, stands as the most devastating attack against Canadian Muslims since the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting, where six individuals lost their lives.
Prosecutors presented evidence that Veltman had written a manifesto expressing his hatred towards Islam and his opposition to mass immigration and multiculturalism. Shortly after the attack, Veltman admitted, “I did it. I killed those people.” Despite this confession, Veltman pleaded not guilty to the charges of murder. His defense argued that his actions should be considered manslaughter due to his alleged mental challenges.