At trial, Mohamed Hersi denies accusations that he tried to join Al-Shabab

Wednesday May 7, 2014

APRIL 24, 2014 Mohamed Hersi arrives with an unidentified woman to testify at his trial at the Brampton courthouse, April 24, 2014.

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BRAMPTON, Ont. — A Toronto man on trial for allegedly attempting to join Al-Shabab was questioned Tuesday about his relationship with two former classmates who left for Somalia in 2009 to take up arms with the terrorist group.

Mohamed Hersi acknowledged knowing Mohamed Elmi Ibrahim, alias “Canlish,” from high school and the University of Toronto, and said he had visited the family home to pay his respects after the youth was killed in Mogadishu.

He also confirmed he had known “Casanyo” Abdurahman from Winston Churchill Collegiate Institute and his mosque, and said he accepted a Facebook friend request from him despite suspecting he was at an Al-Shabab camp.

“In Toronto, when I knew these guys they were hard-working, studious, good to their mothers,” Mr. Hersi said. But he said he had not communicated with them since they departed Toronto and he denied any intention to follow in their footsteps.

A 28-year-old former security guard, Mr. Hersi is the first person to be charged with attempting to leave Canada to join a terrorist group. A second charge alleges he counselled an undercover Toronto police officer to take part in terrorist activity — namely joining Al-Shabab.

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