Why was a Toronto suspect released on bail after being charged with terrorism-related hate crimes against Jews?

North Star with Ellin Bessner

Content provided by The CJN Podcasts. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by The CJN Podcasts or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://podcastplayer.com/legal.

4M ago 23:54

MP3•Episode home

On Monday March 17, Toronto Police Services announced that they arrested and laid 29 charges against a suspect allegedly behind a spree of hate-motivated attacks on Toronto’s Jewish community in 2024—and then, revealed a judge had released him on bail. Amir Arvahi Azar, 32, was arrested on Jan. 11, 2025, in the Willowdale neighbourhood of Toronto. He was kept in custody for two months, until this week's release order. Police highlighted the fact that they brought three “very rare” hate-speech charges against the suspect, including advocating genocide against Jews, wilful promotion of genocide and public incitement of hatred. The Ontario attorney general’s office had to agree to lay these charges, but went further than that and tagged the charges as “terrorist activities” under the Criminal Code, opening the door to a life sentence if convicted. There is a publication ban on revealing too many details about the case. All this has led Jewish leaders to ask: why was the suspect released on bail at all? On today’s episode of The CJN Daily, we speak to Rivka Campbell, executive director of Beth Tikvah Synagogue, whose premises were hit by arson in April 2024, and also with Guidy Mamann of the Tiferet Israel congregation, where a pro-Israel sign was torched in August.

Related links

Read more reaction in The CJN from Jewish leaders about the arrest, charging with hate crimes, and then court-ordered release on bail of a suspect alleged to be behind terrorism-related spree of attacks on Toronto Jewish community buildings and people last year.
Read the Toronto Police Service's news release announcing the suspect's arrest and bail conditions, March 17.
Hear how Toronto's most targeted synagogue, Kehillat Shaarei Torah on Bayview Avenue, became more resilient after each of its eight attacks, in The CJN.

Credits

Host and writer: Ellin Bessner (@ebessner)
Production team: Zachary Kauffman (producer), Michael Fraiman (executive producer)
Music: Dov Beck-Levine

Support our show

Subscribe to The CJN newsletter
Donate to The CJN (+ get a charitable tax receipt)
Subscribe to The CJN Daily (Not sure how? Click here)

699 episodes

#Daily News #Politics #Jewish #Religion #News #The CJN Podcast Network