Tuesday, December 23, 2025
ADVT 
National

Lawyers for alleged B.C. hijacker get more time to prepare bail application

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 18 Aug, 2025 11:07 AM
  • Lawyers for alleged B.C. hijacker get more time to prepare bail application

The man accused of hijacking a plane and triggering a security scare at Vancouver International Airport last month appeared briefly at a provincial court in Richmond, B.C., where his lawyers were granted an adjournment.

Shaheer Cassim attended the court virtually from Surrey Pretrial Centre wearing an orange sweatsuit.

He acknowledged he could see and hear the judge, and sat with his hands on his knees throughout the short video appearance, which lasted less than five minutes.

An articling student representing Cassim's defence lawyer, Kevin Westell, asked the court for a two-week adjournment as they continue to prepare a bail application.

The agent confirmed Cassim had agreed to remain in custody until his next appearance, which the judge scheduled for Sept. 2.

Cassim is a former commercial pilot who faces charges for allegedly taking a small aircraft from Victoria's airport on July 15 and flying it over the Vancouver airport before he was arrested upon landing.

The 39-year-old has been in custody at the pretrial facility in Surrey since his arrest and his court files have been placed under publication bans. 

He's been charged with hijacking, which is an offence constituting terrorism, and with damaging or interfering with a navigation system.

Picture Courtesy: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

MORE National ARTICLES

Here's what you need to know about King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to Ottawa

Here's what you need to know about King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to Ottawa
People in Ottawa will have several chances to get a glimpse of the King and Queen during next week's royal visit to Canada, their first since King Charles's coronation.

Here's what you need to know about King Charles and Queen Camilla's visit to Ottawa

Poll finds most Canadians keen on tariff retaliation as Ottawa walks a different path

Poll finds most Canadians keen on tariff retaliation as Ottawa walks a different path
Canadians are showing a lot of enthusiasm for retaliation against the U.S. over President Donald Trump's tariffs — even as many of them fear that the country has slid into a recession already.

Poll finds most Canadians keen on tariff retaliation as Ottawa walks a different path

Inquest rules B.C. student's overdose death accidental, recommends naloxone training

Inquest rules B.C. student's overdose death accidental, recommends naloxone training
A coroner's jury in British Columbia has recommended high schools provide resuscitation training and demonstrations of how to use naloxone after ruling that the overdose death of a University of Victoria student last year was accidental.

Inquest rules B.C. student's overdose death accidental, recommends naloxone training

B.C. winner of record $80M lottery jackpot quits job, vows to give back to community

B.C. winner of record $80M lottery jackpot quits job, vows to give back to community
The winner of what the B.C. Lottery Corp. calls the biggest jackpot ever awarded to a single person in Canada says that winning the $80 million prize is "life-changing."

B.C. winner of record $80M lottery jackpot quits job, vows to give back to community

Canadian campers going 'elbows up' this summer amid U.S. trade war

Canadian campers going 'elbows up' this summer amid U.S. trade war
Some outdoorsy Canadians are planning to build their tents with elbows up this summer as the season unofficially kicks off this long weekend.

Canadian campers going 'elbows up' this summer amid U.S. trade war

Hockey players' sex assault trial to continue with judge alone after jury dismissed

The sexual assault case of five hockey players faced another major upheaval Friday, abruptly converting from a jury to a judge alone in order to avoid a mistrial that would have rebooted the proceedings for a second time in less than a month.

Hockey players' sex assault trial to continue with judge alone after jury dismissed