A Canadian man has been convicted of four counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder for driving his truck into a Muslim family in London, Ontario, in June 2021. Nathaniel Veltman, 22, killed Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, their daughter Yumna, 15, and her grandmother Talat Afzaal, 74. The couple's nine-year-old son survived with serious injuries.
The jury took approximately six hours to reach the verdict. Veltman faces a life sentence with no parole for 25 years. The judge will determine whether the attack constitutes terrorism, which could affect parole eligibility. Veltman had told police he sought to kill Muslims, inspired by the 2019 Christchurch shootings, and had written a manifesto titled 'A White Awakening'.
During the trial, prosecutors argued Veltman's actions were motivated by far-right ideology, making it one of the first cases to use Canada's anti-terrorism laws against someone motivated by such extremism. The defence claimed he lacked criminal intent and was not responsible due to his mental state, also citing a lack of planning. The judge rejected a mistrial motion over the crown's closing arguments.
The attack sparked grief and renewed calls to combat Islamophobia. The National Council of Canadian Muslims stated 'justice had been served'. The London mayor emphasised the ongoing responsibility to confront hatred. The court will reconvene on 1 December for further proceedings.
