Canadian Jakarta victim identified as Tahar Amer-Ouali

LAVAL – A Laval, Quebec man has been identified among the victims of Thursday’s terror attacks in Jakarta. Seventy-year-old Tahar Amer-Ouali was one of two civilians killed in the bombings — the other was Indonesian national, Rico Hermawan. Amer-Ouali’s brother was also among the dozens injured.

“It was through the Canadian Embassy that we got the sad news that my father passed,” his son, Farid Amer-Ouali, told Global News.

So far, 12 people have been arrested with suspected links to the attacks for which the so-called Islamic State has officially claimed responsibility.

READ MORE: 12 people in custody for Jakarta bombings

Tahar Amer-Ouali immigrated to Canada from his native Algeria with the hopes of giving his five children a better life.

“He was very caring, he did what was best for us,” Farid Amer-Ouali said. “He came here so we could have a better future here in Canada, and he did those sacrifices for us. So we really appreciate it and he will be missed.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He was very caring, he did what was best for us," Farid Amer-Ouali said. "He came here so we could have a better future here in Canada, and he did those sacrifices for us. So we really appreciate it and he will be missed."

Tahar Amer-Ouali was a successful hearing aid specialist, with three clinics in the Montreal area. Saturday, they were closed.

It’s Amer-Ouali’s passion for travel that brought him to Indonesia, a country he quickly fell in love with.

“He was always telling me about it, how nice of a place it was, and how it would be nice to be with him over there,” Farid Amer-Ouali said. His father recognized a need for hearing care professionals in Indonesia, one of the reasons he traveled to the South-Asian country.

“He mentioned that there was a lot of people who needed help over there, that they didn’t necessarily have the means we have here, so he was trying to help out with that.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "He mentioned that there was a lot of people who needed help over there, that they didn't necessarily have the means we have here, so he was trying to help out with that."

“He was awesome,” Nadia Amer-Ouali, Tahar’s 18-year-old daughter said. “He loved life, he loved his children, his grandchildren.”

On Saturday, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard offered his condolences on Twitter, saying he condemned the attack in Jakarta.

The next step for the family is to have the remains brought back home so a proper burial can be held, though it still isn’t clear how quickly that will happen.

With files from the Associated Press.