Nathanial Veltman, Afzaal family killer, motivated by ‘white nationalism’: Prosecutor

ONTARIO: Nathaniel Veltman, 22, a Canadian national who ran over a Muslim family of five in 2021, was motivated by “white nationalism” determined the court. Veltman is facing four charges of murder and one charge of attempted murder over the deaths of the Canadian-Muslim Afzaal family.

Veltman’s trial could help to reshape Canada’s far-right extremism motivated by “white nationalist” beliefs. According to prosecutors in the opening statements of the trial, Veltman who is facing four charges of murder, was out to commit an act of “terrorism”.

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The twenty-two-year-old reportedly killed the family by driving his truck over them as they were out for a walk in London, Ontario on June 6, 2021. According to the police, Veltman killed the four members of the Afzaal family but he pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder. Since the trial has started, experts have warned it could re-traumatize those close to the family. Speaking to CBC, Dr. Javeed Sukhera, Chair of Psychiatry at the Institute of Living and Chief of Psychiatry at Hartford Hospital – who knew the Azfaal family said: “There’s reminders of what happened and grief for what we lost, but also a lot of triggers related to the nature of the crime, the details of the trial, and questions about whether justice will be served”.

According to The Guardian reports, Veltman is also facing charges of terrorism over the killings of Salman Afzaal, 46, his wife Madiha Salman, 44, their teenage daughter Yumna Afzaal, 15, and Salman’s mother Talat Afzaal, 74. The couple’s son, then a nine-year-old, who is the sole survivor of the incident, was seriously injured at the time.

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Nathanial Veltman, Afzaal family killer, motivated by 'white nationalism': Prosecutor | Baaghi TV

Prosecutor Sarah Shaikh, while speaking to a jury in Windsor, Ontario has argued Veltman planned the attack for three months before driving his Dodge Ram truck directly at the family. Shaikh has alleged Nathaniel Veltman drove his truck – bought only two weeks before the tragic incident – “pedal to the metal” in a premeditated manner to strike the victims “because they were Muslims”.

The prosecutor further alleged that Veltman informed detectives he left his home on the day of the attack looking for Muslims to kill, having taken inspiration from the 2019 Christchurch shootings in which 51 innocent lives were lost at the hands of a white supremacist.

It is pertinent to mention that he had written a manifesto called “A White Awakening” identifying himself as a “white nationalist”, of which two versions were discovered by police on his computer when they searched his home.

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Veltman allegedly informed detectives: “I don’t regret what I did. I admit that it was terrorism. This was politically motivated, 100%”. According to Shaikh, at the time of the crime, Veltman was reportedly wearing body armour and a helmet, and carrying bladed weapons.

The prosecution has further alleged that Veltman asked a nearby taxi driver to inform the police of his crime. “Tell them I did it and come and arrest me.”

Nathanial Veltman, Afzaal family killer, motivated by 'white nationalism': Prosecutor | Baaghi TV

The horrifying incident sent shockwaves across the country with an outpouring of grief and calls to combat Islamophobia. The trial currently underway is expected to last eight weeks, after both the Crown and defense agreed to a shared statement of facts.

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