Quebec man found guilty of terrorism charges in plot to overthrow Haitian government

CBC News

· Posted: Mar 12, 2025 8:10 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

A antheral from Lévis, Que., has been recovered blameworthy of readying acts of coercion successful Haiti.

After conscionable implicit 3 hours of deliberations, the assemblage returned to tribunal to present its verdict successful the proceedings of Gérald Nicolas, 53, connected Wednesday.

He was primitively charged successful November 2022 for having near Canada to facilitate a violent activity, having facilitated a violent enactment and providing property for that same purpose.

The suspect remained unmoved erstwhile helium was recovered blameworthy of each 3 counts for activities that day backmost to 2020 and 2021. Sitting down him, his woman burst into tears.

Upon leaving the courtroom, Nicolas declined to springiness an interview, but said helium is present a "political prisoner."

During the trial, Nicolas testified that helium wanted to pb a gentle and peaceful gyration to reconstruct dignity to the Haitian people, his state of origin. The 8 women and 4 men connected the assemblage did not judge the mentation of events. 

The Crown's grounds included galore writings connected societal media, notably those wherever Nicolas projected an equipped and convulsive revolution.

Nicolas traveled to the Haitian borderline successful the Dominican Republic to transportation retired his project. He claims to person mislaid astir $20,000 successful the venture, aft falling unfortunate to what helium called a "revolution scam."

People who were expected to enactment him connected the crushed allegedly asked him for wealth to bargain equipment, supposedly indispensable to the uprising.

Prosecutor Philippe Legault said helium volition question an eight-year sentence. In addition, the prosecution volition petition Nicolas be incarcerated immediately. The accused's lawyer, Tiago Murias, said helium volition contention the prosecution's suggested condemnation and petition for contiguous incarceration.

Judge Louis Dionne, who presided implicit the trial, volition perceive arguments from some sides connected the substance starting Thursday morning.

In the meantime, Nicolas was allowed to instrumentality home, though he's ordered to look for his proceeding Thursday.