Schizophrenic, Muslim, attempted murderer granted 3 week travel pass by Ontario Review Board to go to Mecca, meet Somali bride

A schizophrenic Muslim man who was found not criminally responsible for three counts of attempted murder following a 2016 knife attack at a Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre in Toronto has been granted a three-week travel pass for a pilgrimage to Mecca. 

Ayanle Hassan Ali was found not criminally responsible for the March 2016 incident and related charges. The Ontario Review Board (ORB) granted Ali permission for a trip to Saudi Arabia and Somalia despite posing a “significant threat to public safety,” according to The National Post.

In its decision, the board noted that Ali wanted to travel “to facilitate a meeting with a woman as his father has been working on arranging a possible marriage with a woman who resides in Somalia.”

“Mr. Ali has advised that this is not uncommon in his culture, and the marriage would only proceed if both parties were agreeable. He is hopeful he will be able to travel to Somalia over the upcoming reporting year for an introductory meeting with the woman,” the board said. 

According to the decision from the tribunal, “He and his father have planned for a religious ritual of Umrah pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Mr. Ali is studying to memorize the Quran and attends the mosque by his father’s house daily to meet with his teacher. He is hopeful that his tutor may assist him in securing a volunteer position at a local school to tutor in math or French.”

During the March 14, 2016, incident, the tribunal heard that “Ali entered the Canadian Forces Recruiting Centre in Toronto and immediately attacked the corporal who was seated at the entrance. Mr. Ali repeatedly punched the corporal in the head, and then took a large kitchen knife from a folder he was carrying and lunged at the corporal, slashing and stabbing at him with the knife, causing a three-inch gash to the corporal’s arm.”

Ali has remained under supervision since being found not criminally responsible. In March 2025, he was granted a conditional discharge requiring him to live with his mother and report to the Toronto Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH) every two weeks.