RCMP badg
A Quebec man was charged Friday with attempting to leave Canada to participate in the activities of a terrorist group.
Ismael Habib appeared briefly in a Montreal courtroom, not long after the RCMP announced the serious charge against him.
Federal prosecutor Lyne Decarie said the charge is the result of an ongoing investigation that began when Habib was first detained on other charges in Gatineau, Que., near Ottawa.
"It's a continuous exercise that has been taking place in recent days and over the last week," she said.
The charge of leaving the country to participate in terrorist activity was introduced into the Criminal Code in 2013 and carries a maximum sentence of 10 years behind bars.
It's the latest in a string of charges against Habib in recent days.
On Thursday, Habib, 28, appeared in court on a charge of giving false information in order to obtain a passport. Following that hearing, Decarie said the Crown was also seeking a peace bond against Habib.
Prosecutors have sought the measure against several Canadians in the past year, one which restricts activities and keeps them under close watch from authorities.
Decarie said Friday she would maintain the bond request for Habib.
She said prosecutors and police were currently sifting through a "lot of evidence that came out very recently" to determine what is admissible in court.
"It's in constant evolution, the investigation is always ongoing, and all this had to be analyzed in a short period of time," Decarie told reporters.
The Gatineau resident was first detained on charges of criminal harassment and possessing false documents after local police received a domestic violence complaint against him in late February.
A Gatineau judge is expected to decide next week whether to grant Habib bail on those charges, which are separate from the terrorism charges.
Decarie said the Crown will oppose bail on the federal terrorism-related charges.
The case was postponed until Monday when a date will be set for a bail hearing.
"The judge will make that decision but the Crown doesn't think he should be released," she said.
Lawyers for Habib did not comment on the case.