VANCOUVER — A British Columbia man who faces deportation over allegations his Facebook posts promoted terrorist attacks says he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder due to the false accusations.
Othman Hamdan has told an Immigration and Refugee Board hearing that he was living a peaceful life in Fort St. John when he was arrested for allegedly calling for lone wolf attacks through Facebook.
He was acquitted of terrorism-related charges by a B.C. Supreme Court judge last September but immigration authorities arrested him and have determined he poses a danger to the public and could be deported.
Othman is a Jordanian national who says he moved to Canada from the United States in July 2002 because he faced threats following the 2001 terrorist attacks.
He says he was falsely accused in Canada and his experience has resulted in a diagnosis of PTSD, which has resulted in about eight months of therapy.
In January, Hamdan filed a lawsuit against the B.C. and federal governments, arguing his charter rights were violated through a malicious prosecution.
