National

Former commercial pilot charged with hijacking and terrorism over Vancouver flight

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 16 Jul, 2025 05:08 PM

A man who allegedly seized a light aircraft in Victoria, setting off a security scare at Vancouver International Airport on Tuesday, has been charged with hijacking and terrorism offences.

A spokeswoman for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada provided a court file number that matches a case in B.C. Provincial Court involving a former commercial airline pilot based in Victoria.

The man is Shaheer Cassim, who has previously been involved in climate activism.

In 2012, Cassim held a news conference in Victoria at the start of a cross-country bicycle trek to raise awareness of global warming.

Norad says it scrambled F-15s in response to the alleged hijacking of a Cessna that belonged to the Victoria Flying Club, but the plane landed and the man was arrested before the fighter jets arrived.

RCMP have not disclosed a potential motive in the case, but a recorded conversation involving a Vancouver air traffic controller suggests the alleged hijacking may have been motivated by "some type of protest."

Picture Courtesy: AP Photo/Ariel Schalit

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Former Canadian Olympic athlete added to FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives list

Ryan James Wedding is wanted for allegedly leading an organized crime group that moved large shipments of cocaine from Colombia through Mexico and California to Canada and other locations in the United States.

Former Canadian Olympic athlete added to FBI's 10 most wanted fugitives list

Shots over the bow: Why provinces are using liquor leverage in trade war with U.S.

What they all have in common is the "currently unavailable" designation, having been yanked from sale by British Columbia's government in retaliation for U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports. Calling time on U.S. alcohol has been a popular move among Canadian provincial and territorial governments looking for ways to fight back in the trade war.

Shots over the bow: Why provinces are using liquor leverage in trade war with U.S.

Trudeau aiming to secure extension to 2031 for signature $10-a-day child-care program

The federal government is trying to secure extensions through to 2031 for its national $10-a-day child-care program ahead of an expected election. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today that 11 provinces and territories have agreed to extend the deals that give those jurisdictions billions of dollars to cut child-care fees for families.

Trudeau aiming to secure extension to 2031 for signature $10-a-day child-care program

Truckers scramble for new routes as tariffs bring shipments to a halt

Trucking companies are halting shipments, mulling layoffs and scrambling for new routes as tariffs wreak havoc on cross-border trade. The lead-up to U.S. President Donald Trump's sweeping 25 per cent tariff on Canadian imports as well as retaliatory duties from Canada that took effect Tuesday prompted a surge in deliveries over the past two months as shippers raced to beat the deadline.

Truckers scramble for new routes as tariffs bring shipments to a halt

Here's the latest as the U.S. imposes tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico

U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico — a 25 per cent across-the-board levy, with a lower 10 per cent charge on Canadian energy — triggering a continental trade war. Here is the latest news (all times eastern):

Here's the latest as the U.S. imposes tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico

Trump announces one-month pause on Mexican tariffs, no move on Canada

U.S. President Donald Trump says Mexico will get a one-month pause on tariffs for imports under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade. In a social media post, Trump says he made the decision after speaking with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum today, adding Mexico has worked with the U.S. on border security.