Ismael Habib likened ISIS to Hells Angels, RCMP undercover agent testifies - Action News
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Montreal

Ismael Habib likened ISIS to Hells Angels, RCMP undercover agent testifies

Ismael Habib, 29, told an undercover agent he was a member of the Islamic State and believed the group was purifying Syria, a Quebec provincial court heard Thursday at the Montreal man's trial on terror-related charges.

Quebecer wanted to leave Canada for Syria within year, undercover RCMP agent 'the Boss' testifies

Ismael Habib, 29, is accused of trying to leave the country to commit terrorist acts. (Facebook)

Ismael Habib, 29, told an undercover agent he was a member of the Islamic State and believed the group was "purifying" Syria, Quebec Court Judge Serge Dlisleheard Thursday.

The RCMP agent known as "the Boss" continuedhis testimonyon the fourth day of the Montreal man'strial on charges ofattempting to leave Canada to commit terrorist acts and giving false information to obtain a passport.

The Boss, whose real identity is protected under a publication ban, is the third RCMP undercover agent called as a witness by the prosecution, led by federal Crown prosecutorLyne Dcarie.

He testified that hisobjectives varied, but for the most part, his cover role involved calling Habib and inviting him to do odd jobs for cash between December 2015 and February 2016 the month Habibwasarrested inan alleged domestic altercation with his girlfriend in Gatineau.

Federal Crown prosecutor Lyne Dcarie has so far called three RCMP undercover agents as witnesses. (CBC)

Wanted to go to Syria

The agent testified thatoverlunch lastJan.14,Habib told himhe wanted to go to Syria to joinhis wife andtwo children. Habib said he also wanted to bring his Gatineau girlfriend overseas.

While eating poutine, Habib told the Boss he belonged to the Islamic State, which he said was "similar to the Hells Angels," the agent testified.

The Boss said by thenHabib was comfortable and friendly with him, divulgingthat during his 2013trip to Turkeywhere he was arrested by Turkish authoritiesand hadhis passport seizedhe spent three months in Syria, and that he wanted to go back to thatcountry in less than a year.

At one point during the meal, the Boss testified, Habib said he'd do "anything" to get to Syria, while making a gesture with his hands that looked like a shooting gun.

Ismael Habib appeared in a Gatineau courtroom for a bail hearing on March 3, 2016. (Laurie Foster-MacLeod)

More information on shoebox operation

The Bosstestified he managedan operation that saw Habib and another undercover operative take a box full of fake passports to Ontario and drive back.

At the end of the mission, Habib asked how much the fake passports cost. He told the Boss he had friends who might want some. Earlier in the trial, another undercover agent testified Habibbelieved the Boss could sell him a passport.

After the mission, the Boss gave Habib $1,000 in hundred-dollar billsand thanked him for his work.

Mystery GPS

In several meetings with the Boss, the agent testified, Habib expressed interest in having his girlfriend's car stolen so he could get theinsurance money. The Boss said he was noncommittal to the idea ortried to dissuade him.

During a meeting in a restaurant on Jan.14, Habib mentioned something new: After an abrupt stop in his car, a GPS of unknown origin fell out of his dashboard.

"I was surprised by that information," testified the Boss. Habib described it as a black box, thicker than an iPhone 5, with a cord attached.