Trial of man accused in London attack set to hear more evidence

Jurors at the trial of a man accused of murdering four members of a Muslim family in Ontario are set to hear more evidence today.

Nathaniel Veltman is accused of deliberately hitting five members of the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a walk in London, Ont.

Prosecutors have alleged his actions in June 2021 amount to an act of terrorism and have argued he was motivated by white nationalist beliefs.

Veltman, 22, has pleaded not guilty to four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

Jurors watched a video of Veltman on Monday telling a detective he had been motivated by white nationalist beliefs that he had kept private in order to avoid detection by authorities.

He was also seen telling the detective that his attack was politically motivated and an act of terrorism.

Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed in the attack. The couple’s nine-year-old son was also seriously hurt but survived.

The trial, which is taking place in Windsor, Ont., is expected to last eight weeks.