Halifax police lay two terrorism hoax charges in bomb threat against U.S. Consulate

A Halifax man accused of making a bomb threat against the local U.S. Consulate in August faces new terrorism charges.
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Ali Assakereh, 54, was arraigned Friday in Halifax bail court on two counts of making a hoax in relation to terrorist activity.

Halifax Regional Police swore the new charges Thursday.
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One of the charges alleges Assakereh conveyed information likely to cause a reasonable apprehension that terrorist activity was occurring or would occur, without believing the information to be true.

The other accuses him of committing an act likely to cause a reasonable apprehension about terrorist activity, without believing that such activity was occurring or would occur.
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Assakereh appeared in court Friday via a video link from the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth. A Farsi interpreter was in the courtroom to translate the proceedings.
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Federal prosecutor Lee-Ann Conrod said the Crown was proceeding by indictment on the new charges. That means each offence carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.
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The Crown has opposed Assakereh’s release since he first appeared in court Aug. 11. Defence duty counsel Alex Baranowski said Friday that Assakereh was continuing to consent to remain in custody on all his charges, which are scheduled to return to Halifax provincial court Nov. 2.

Read more: The Chronicle Herald