Man accused in Quebec City mosque shooting changes lawyers - Action News
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Man accused in Quebec City mosque shooting changes lawyers

The man accused of carrying out a shooting rampage at a Quebec City mosque two months ago made a brief appearance in court Thursday morning to change lawyers.

Alexandre Bissonnette will now be represented by legal aid lawyers

Alexandre Bissonnette arrives at the Quebec City courthouse Thursday flanked by guards. (CTV)

The man accused of carrying out a shooting rampage at a Quebec City mosque two months ago made another brief appearance in court Thursday morning.

Alexandre Bissonnette, 27,faces six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder while usinga restricted firearm in connection with the attack, during which six men died and 19 others were wounded.

He appeared beforeQuebec Court Judge Jean-Louis Lemayto confirm he wanted to change lawyers.

Bissonnette was originally being represented by defence lawyer Jean Petit,who removed himself from the case. It is not known why.

Bissonnettewill now be represented by lawyers from legal aid,Charles-Olivier Gosselinand Jean-Claude Gingras.

Community members still afraid

The increased security measures in place for his previous court appearances requiring everyone going into the court to show identification and pass through metal detectors were in effect again today.

Quebec City courthouse constables initiallyrefused mosque presidentMohamedYanguientry to the hearing because he didn't bring identification, but was later allowed in.
Mohamed Yangui, president of the Centre Culturel Islamique de Qubec, said he is unable to pray peacefully because he keeps imagining someone barging into the mosque to commit a similar attack. (Radio-Canada)
After the hearing, Yangui said people in the community are still terrifiedand psychologically scarred. He said he is unable to pray peacefully because he keeps imaginingsomeone barging in to commit a similar attack.

He said he also has gone to police about three separate incidents he describes as suspicious. Onthree occasions, unfamiliar men came to the mosqueasking for money, just as the accused shooter had before theJan.29attack.

Back in court in May

The courtrooms were packed for Bissonnette's two previous court appearances, but fewer people showed up for Thursday's proceedings.

Bissonnette'slawyers asked that he not be required to attend his next court date, considering the logistics involved with getting him to and from the courthouse and that the hearing will be to discuss procedure.

The judge accepted the request. The case will be back in court May 29.

With files from Catou MacKinnon and Radio-Canada's Yannick Bergeron