21-year-old Windsor man pleads not guilty to terrorist-related charges

A 21-year-old Windsor man is on trial in Superior Court for trying to join a terrorist organization.

Seth Bertrand has pleaded not guilty to participation in activity of a terrorist group, after being charged by the RCMP following a joint investigation with Windsor police and the OPP anti-terrorism section in May 2022.

The RCMP allege Bertrand filed an online application to join a listed terrorist entity called the Atomwaffen Division.

The Atomwaffen Division was founded in the U.S. in 2013 and was added to Canada’s Criminal Code list of terrorist entities in February 2021, opening people who are affiliated with the group to criminal sanctions.

On Tuesday, the arresting RCMP officer, Const. Mark Thomaes was questioned about his role during Bertrand's arrest and subsequent booking process, with the defence placing focus on the "arrest script" that was used when Bertrand was apprehended.

Audio recordings from police were played for the court as the examination continued, with Bertrand being heard on the recording saying he "hadn't been active in that stuff forever" and that he had been trying to clean his life up.

Defence lawyer, Bobby Russon, questioned if police made Bertrand fully aware of what charge he was facing upon his arrest and if Bertrand was given fair opportunity to contact his lawyer.

More than once, Russon suggested the witness was lying to the court.

Bertrand came to the attention of authorities for two hate-motivated incidents of vandalism against the local LGBTQ2S+ community in Windsor in early 2021.

He pleaded guilty to inciting hate in August 2022 and was sentenced to five months house arrest.

The terrorism related trial is expected to continue throughout the week.