Man arrested after confrontation inside Islamic centre will undergo psychiatric evaluation

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A man arrested on Friday after a confrontation inside an Islamic centre in Châteauguay has been ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation over concerns for his mental health.

Younes Adib, 24, appeared before a Quebec Court judge through a videoconference at the Valleyfield courthourthouse Monday afternoon where he learned he faces two new charges that are not related to what happened last week at the Centre Culturel Musulman de Châteauguay on St-Jean-Baptiste Blvd.

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In that case, three volunteers at the centre suffered minor injuries as they tried to disarm a man who brought a knife into the basement of the centre. Adib was arrested and was initially charged on Saturday with possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, but under a section of the Criminal Code that classifies it as a summary offence.

On Monday, Adib’s lawyer, Yasser Rzaini, pointed out that his client was only charged with a summary offence and questioned the need for a 30-day evaluation that will mean his client will be detained for at least a month.

A prosecutor revealed that Adib faces the two new charges and said that his family expressed concerns over his mental health. He is now charged with stealing cannabis from a SQDC in Châteauguay on Aug. 10 and attempting to steal cannabis on Aug. 26.

The judge ordered the evaluation despite objections from Rzaini.

“It’s just that I was the one who was attacked on Friday. I’m not supposed to be here (at the Montreal Detention Centre). I’m not supposed to be in prison,” Adib said during his hearing on Monday while ignoring recommendations from Rzaini to keep quiet.

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Rzaini said his client concedes there was “an imbroglio” on Friday but that he denies criminal responsibility.

While making a brief summary of the evidence in the case, a prosecutor told the judge the Châteauguay police were called after people confronted a man who was behaving in an odd manner inside the mosque.

“The people said he seemed lost and got up at an inappropriate moment. One noticed that he had a knife in his pocket and that he made movements toward his pocket. Three people tried to subdue him and he made animal noises during the confrontation,” the prosecutor said, adding that when Adib’s parents showed up at the mosque they said he had not been sleeping because he had allegedly consumed a lot of cannabis.

Rzaini said his client cried out only after the three people grabbed him.

“I’d like to get out of prison as soon as possible. I’m not supposed to be here. It’s a crime against humanity here,” Adib said after the prosecutor explained the Crown’s reasons for requesting the evaluation to determine if he was not criminally responsible for his alleged actions on Friday. “And animal noises? Who said that? Check the security cameras. They have security cameras there. Check them to see if I am responsible.”

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The case will return to court in October.

Adib has a criminal record. On March 7, 2019, Adib pleaded guilty in a fraud case in which he was accused of recruiting other young people to withdraw money through ATMs using an account that he created. The fraudsters used the account to make several transactions to purchase prepaid credit cards and withdraw $960.

Later that same yearm he was sentenced to two years of probation and to pay back more than $2,700. He was also ordered to carry out 40 hours of community service.

The judgment made to sentence Adib when he was 19 described him as an immature young man who appeared to be at a crossroads in his life.

“Although coming from a family background that endorsed positive values, the accused has forged links over the years with various individuals, some of whom were negative. All contributed to the development of lax values ​for the accused, a trivialization of marginal behaviour and consolidation of a hedonistic, idle lifestyle beyond one’s means,” wrote the probation officer who prepared the presentencing report.

‘With a view to social readjustment, we believe that Mr. Adib must clean up his social network and begin to question his values. In addition, he should begin adhering to a more structured lifestyle by integrating into the labour market or adopting prosocial activities in his daily life that would be beneficial to him.”

Adib told the probation officer that his arrest in the fraud case was a wakeup call that pushed him to complete high school while his case was pending and to apply for a job as a customer sales and service agent for a major airline.

Based on what was contained in the report, including how his regret over committing the fraud seemed “superficial,” the judge decided to deliver a sentence that left Adib with a criminal record.

On Dec. 21, 2020, Adib agreed to sign a peace bond in a case in which he was charged with assaulting two people. He was acquitted of the assaults, but by signing the peace bond he agreed that the people had reason to fear for their safety.

pcherry@postmedia.com

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