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 an April 2023 attack on a public bus in Surrey, after the Supreme Court of British Columbia ordered two prison terms to be served consecutively.
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada (PPSC) announced the sentence on Thursday, October 29, 2026. Kawam received 15 years for attempted murder and 20 months for aggravated assault, for a combined sentence of 16 years and eight months.
The court had found Kawam guilty of terrorism-related offences on June 30, 2025, in connection with the April 1, 2023, attack on a public bus in Surrey. The court concluded that his actions were intended to advance the objectives of the Islamic State and were carried out for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in association with the group, according to the PPSC.
How the sentence was calculated
The two prison terms are consecutive, meaning they are served one after the other rather than at the same time. The sentence consists of:
- 15 years for attempted murder.
- 20 months for aggravated assault.
- 16 years and eight months in total.
The PPSC release does not set out the amount of pre-sentence custody credit or the date when Kawam may become eligible for release. Those details should not be inferred from the total sentence alone.
Court found the attack was linked to Islamic State
The conviction was based on the court’s finding that the offences were committed in connection with a terrorist group. The PPSC said the court determined the attack was intended to advance the objectives of the Islamic State.
In its statement, Director of Public Prosecutions George Dolhai stressed that the violence was carried out in support of an ideological-political organization, not the Islamic faith. He described it as “an attack on all Canadians, including Canadian Muslims.”
That distinction is important: the court’s findings concern the conduct and motives established in this criminal case and should not be used to stigmatize Muslim communities.
Timeline of the Surrey case
- April 1, 2023: The attack took place on a public bus in Surrey.
- June 30, 2025: The court found Kawam guilty of terrorism-related offences.
- October 29, 2026: The court imposed consecutive sentences totalling 16 years and eight months.
The sentencing brings a major court development in a case that began with violence on Surrey’s public transit system. The official prosecution announcement is available from the Public Prosecution Service of Canada. CityNews Vancouver also reported on the sentencing on October 29.
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
