A resident of the District Municipality of Squamish in British Columbia has been charged with two counts of terrorism-related offences.
Kimberly Polman allegedly left Canada and travelled to Syria in 2015 to join the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, the terrorist organization commonly referred to as ISIS or the Islamic State.
The 51-year-old woman was repatriated to Canada in October 2022 and placed under a series of bail conditions. Since November 2023, she has been subject to a “Terrorism Peace Bond.”
There has been significant national and international media attention on how she was possibly recruited by the terrorist organization and her subsequent repatriation to face her alleged offences.
This past Friday, according to a release issued on Saturday, the Pacific Region RCMP Federal Policing Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) announced Polman has been charged with one count for leaving Canada to participate in the activity of a terrorist group, and one count for the participation in the activity of a terrorist group.
“The success of this investigation is directly attributable to the work done by our dedicated investigators and the strength of our policing and intelligence partnerships. Along with our Canadian and International partners, the RCMP remains committed to combatting violent extremism both in Canada and abroad,” said Superintendent Jag Dhot, Pacific Region RCMP Federal Policing INSET, in a statement.
Policing partners, local communities and families are all key in the successful identification, prevention and disruption of terrorist activities, as well as individual disengagement from violent extremism.
She will make her next court appearance on August 2, 2024 in Vancouver Provincial Court.