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A judge has denied bail to the man accused of committing a terror attack on Edmonton city hall.
Justice Janet Dixon of the Alberta Court of Justice declined to grant pre-trial release to Bezhani Sarvar, following an hours-long bail hearing that ended early Thursday evening.
A publication ban was placed on much of what occurred during the proceedings. Sarvar, 28, appeared from the Calgary Remand Centre wearing blue coveralls, his head shaved. Members of his family including his wife, father and sister attended court.
Sarvar was charged after a gunman entered Edmonton city hall from the parkade elevator Jan. 23, threw several Molotov cocktails onto the floor of the atrium and fired several rounds from an SKS rifle.
The gunman surrendered after a few minutes to an unarmed Commissionaires security guard. Sarvar himself worked as a Commissionaire, the company confirmed.
No one was injured in the attack. The gunfire and firebombs caused around $100,000 in damage, including bullet holes in walls, several glass banisters and one exterior window, along with burned flooring in the main atrium.
The morning of the attack, a video titled “Rise up” was posted to YouTube, showing a man wearing a Commissionaires jacket seated in the driver’s seat of the car. He tells the viewer he is about to complete a “mission” and that he is “not a psychopath” or “one of these monsters that hurt children.”
He goes on to address a litany of issues, including corruption, taxes, inflation, the cost of housing, “the wokeism disease,” immigration and “the genocide that’s going on in Gaza and throughout the world.”
City police initially charged Sarvar with a string of offences. A little over a month later, the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) charged him with 11 terror-related offences, including counselling commission of a terrorism offence and possession of property for terrorist purposes.
Sarvar is also charged with intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire or explosion to property knowing the property was inhabited, intentionally possessing incendiary material while committing an indictable offence and using a firearm while committing an indictable offence.
Sarvar was represented at Thursday’s hearing by defence lawyer Jamil Sawani.
Judges are required to grant publication bans on bail hearings if requested by the defence. The standard ban — intended to protect the accused’s right to a fair trial — covers any evidence given and any arguments made during the hearing, as well as the judge’s reasons for granting or denying bail.
The Criminal Code lays out three grounds on which an accused can be denied bail. The accused can be detained pending trial if the judge believes it necessary to ensure the accused attends court; to protect the public if the accused is a risk to commit another offence; or to “maintain confidence in the administration of justice.”
