Crown seeks 16-year prison term for Calgary man convicted of ISIS involvement

Federal prosecutors are asking a judge to impose a 16-year prison sentence on a Calgary man convicted of participating in the activities of the Islamic State group after travelling to Syria more than a decade ago.

Jamal Borhot, now 35, was found guilty in December of three counts related to involvement with a listed terrorist organization. The court heard Borhot travelled to Syria in 2013 and knowingly assisted ISIS while the group was carrying out widespread violence across the region.

During sentencing submissions, the Crown said Borhot was not a passive supporter. Prosecutors told the court he took part in violent acts, encouraged others to join the group, and demonstrated a willingness to kill in support of extremist ideology. Crown prosecutor Kent Brown argued that strong sentences are necessary to deter terrorism-related offences and to reflect the seriousness of the conduct.

Defence counsel is urging the court to impose a lesser sentence of 12 years, arguing it would be more proportionate given the circumstances of the case. The defence has pointed to the length of time the case has taken to reach sentencing and Borhot’s personal background as factors for consideration.

Borhot was arrested and charged by the RCMP in 2020. His case has since moved slowly through the courts, highlighting the legal and evidentiary challenges often involved in prosecuting terrorism offences tied to overseas conflicts. The sentencing decision is expected to have implications for how Canadian courts address similar cases involving foreign extremist groups.