Montreal-based ISIS Soldier To Be Released from Prison

A Montreal man who sought to join the terrorist group ISIS will be released from prison, even though the Parole Board of Canada still has concerns about him.

Ismaël Habib, 34, was sentenced at the Montreal courthouse to a nine-year prison term after he was found guilty of attempting to join ISIL to fight with the group in Syria and of ‎using false documents in an attempt to obtain a passport.

When the time he had already served behind bars was factored into the sentence, he was left with a prison term of a little more than 6 1/2 years.

The Parole Board ordered that Habib reside at a “community residential facility or a (psychiatric) institution approved by Correctional Service of Canada until the expiration of” his sentence.

“The board believes that the sound management of the risk that you present requires prudence,” the board noted in its decision.

Allegedly, Habib appeared to have “shown some motivation toward a better understanding” of his crimes, but “a deterioration was noted during the last year. The link with your parole officer was broken and you have ceased the various followups. Your more rigid attitude reappeared and your case management team (the people who prepare an offender for a release) noticed that you seem to be back in the same frame of mind as during the period” when Habib tried to join ISIL.

“You wanted to join the ranks of the Islamic State in order to defend your ideologies. This involved associating with people adhering to this movement known for violence and its dangerousness,” the parole board wrote. “So, in order to help you make pro-social choices about the people you associate with, you will be prohibited from associating with or communicating with anyone who you know or have reason to believe is involved in any criminal and/or terrorist activity. The board reminds you that this condition includes your first wife, who joined the ranks of the Islamic State.”