Human trafficking case again before court on bail matters

By Delon Shurtz on September 16, 2021.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDdshurtz@lethbridgeherald.com

One of 10 men who was granted bail last month in relation to human trafficking charges has been allowed to amend several of his release conditions.
The matter for Dr. Ziyaad Noor was in Lethbridge provincial court Wednesday, where his lawyer, James Hawkins of Calgary, requested the proposed changes, with consent of the Crown.
Noor, 37, was ordered during his bail hearing Aug. 24 to live with a surety, but Hawkins pointed out a second surety was required to live with Noor in Calgary while the first was away to attend a work-related conference.
Noor was also ordered to remain in his home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, he was granted exceptions for medical emergencies, employment, court attendance and shopping. He must surrender his passport to the Calgary courthouse, and not have any contact with the other accused except through his lawyer or when attending court.
Noor was the last of the 10 accused to be released on bail last month, which included a $10,000 promise to pay should he breach any conditions of his release.
Although the 10 accused don’t face all the same allegations, charges include trafficking persons under 18, sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault, and sexual interference. Noor is charged with sexual interference, invitation to sexual touching, sexual assault, sexual assault causing bodily harm, sexual assault – party to offence with another person, aggravated sexual assault and trafficking persons under the age of 18.
According to a letter by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Alberta, Noor, who is a general practitioner in Calgary, has “withdrawn from practice at this time.” The college is also conducting an investigation of its own into the charges against its member.
Police reported in August they learned several individuals had selected and groomed a 15-year-old girl and took her to specific locations where sex offences took place. The same individuals had also engaged in sexual activity with a 13-year-old girl.
Lethbridge police said three additional victims had also come forward in connection with the investigation and that as the investigation expands additional charges may laid.
Seven of the remaining accused, Mahmoud Nirabani, 20, Mohammad Zafari, 20, Abdullah Mohammed, 19, Mohammad Neirabani, 22, Fadi Chtewi, 20, Khaled Alsaid, 22, and Meriton Krasniqi, 26, were also released on bail last month, as were a 16-year-old boy and 17-year-old boy, who cannot be identified because of their age.
The boys return to court next week, while the adults are scheduled for court hearings on various days in the first two weeks of October.

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