Ontario man pleads guilty to trying to join ISIS, charges against wife to be dropped

June 21, 2021   

(Global News) An Ontario man admitted Monday he left Toronto with his wife almost two years ago to join the so-called Islamic State.

At a court appearance in Brampton, Ont., Ikar Mao, 23, pleaded guilty to leaving Canada to participate in the activities of a terrorist group.

But federal prosecutors dropped a second count against Mao, and also said they would be staying charges against his wife Haleema Mustafa.

The couple left Canada together in 2019 and were caught near the Syrian border. Both had faced the same two terrorism charges after returning to Canada.

“Mao undertook the trip to Turkey in July 2019 with the express purpose of crossing the border into Syria, and eventually moving to ISIS-controlled territory,” according to an agreed statement of facts.

Read more.

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