Add StudioX as a preferred source on GoogleAbdul Aziz Kawam has been sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison for terrorism-related offences arising from a knife attack on a Surrey transit bus in April 2023, according to the Public Prosecution Service of Canada and the RCMP.
The B.C. Supreme Court imposed 15 years for attempted murder and 20 months for assault with a weapon. The sentences are consecutive. The RCMP said Kawam had spent three years and seven months in custody at sentencing, credited as five years and four months.
What happened in Surrey
Police said the incident began on April 1, 2023, when Kawam approached a man at a Surrey bus stop, threatened him with a knife and chased him. That person escaped. Kawam then boarded a Coast Mountain bus and seriously injured another passenger with the knife.
The suspect was arrested by police after being pushed off the bus. The case was later investigated by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
Terrorism-related convictions
The RCMP said Kawam was convicted in the Supreme Court of British Columbia on June 30, 2026, of attempted murder and assault with a weapon for the benefit of, or in association with, a terrorist group. The Public Prosecution Service said the court found the offences were connected to the Islamic State.
In its sentencing statement, the Public Prosecution Service emphasized that the violence was committed in support of an ideological-political organization, not the Islamic faith. The distinction is important: the criminal findings concern the accused’s conduct and the terrorist organization identified by the court, not a religious community.
What the sentence means
The sentence marks the conclusion of the sentencing phase in a case that raised serious concerns about public safety on transit. The RCMP said it hopes the outcome provides some reassurance to those affected and reflects its commitment to community safety.
Sources: Public Prosecution Service of Canada; RCMP Federal Policing Pacific Region.
Harnaik Singh Rathor is the Founder, Publisher, and Editor-in-Chief of StudioX News Canada, Canada's multilingual digital news network serving multilingual diaspora communities across Canada. With a background in media production, public relations, and multicultural communications, he founded StudioX Film and TV Corporation to bridge the gap between mainstream Canadian media and the country's diverse immigrant communities. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists (CAJ), RTDNA Canada, CPRS Vancouver, NEPMCC, and the Canadian Freelance Union (Unifor). Based in Surrey, British Columbia. | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harnaiksinghrathor/ | Muck Rack: https://muckrack.com/harnaiksinghrathor | Email: editor@studioxnews.ca
