A Canadian white supremacist who killed four members of a Muslim family and severely injured their boy has been convicted of white nationalist terrorism.
In a court ruling on Thursday, a Canadian judge sentenced the killer, Nathaniel Veltman, to five life sentences – four for murder and one for attempted murder.
In a clear case of Islamophobia, the killer ran down the family with his truck in 2021 while they were walking in London, Ontario, about 120 miles southwest of Toronto.
Salman Afzaal, 46, and his wife, Madiha Salman, 44, their daughter Yumna Afzaal, 15, and Afzaal’s 74-year-old mother, Talat Afzaal, were killed by the white nationalist.
Crown Attorney Sarah Shaikh said, “The offender wanted to make Muslims fearful of being in Canada, fearful of going to the park, the mosque, and living their lives. He wanted to drive this fear in Muslims and instill so much fear that Muslims would leave the country.”
“The convicted killer’s manifesto, titled, ‘A White Awakening’ and found on his computer, is a comprehensive political and ideological justification for a white uprising and rebellion against non-whites, particularly Muslims,” Shaikh said.
According to the evidence introduced at the trial, the Muslim family was a clear target of racism. The judge noted that Veltman killed “innocent victims he had never met.”
“He hit the family after spotting the two women in traditional Pakistani dress.”
The nine-year-old son of the family was seriously injured in the assault.
The orphaned boy said he wishes he could still have his sister to fight with, his mom’s cooking and the house he grew up in. “I will have to get the metal plate in my leg removed which will be painful and I will have to learn how to walk again.”
He ended his statement with a message “to all the young kids.”
“You may think that your siblings are really annoying, and to be honest I thought the same about Yumna, but when they leave you would love to fight with them one last time.”
A senate report released in November 2023 said Islamophobia remains a persistent problem in Canada.
According to the report’s findings, Muslim women have become the “primary targets when it comes to violence and intimidation” as they are easily recognizable from their attire, making it difficult for them to leave their homes for work, school or other activities.
