A Quebec man accused of wanting to leave Canada to join the Islamic State in Syria says he was desperate to get to his wife and young kids he believed were in danger.
Ismael Habib is testifying in his own defence Wednesday at his trial on terror-related charges.
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He is charged with attempting to leave the country to participate in the activities of a terrorist group, as well as giving false information in an effort to obtain a passport.
The Crown has demonstrated that Habib told undercover RCMP officers twice during an elaborate sting operation in 2016 that he wanted to travel to Syria to join the so-called Islamic State.
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But Habib, whose Canadian passport was revoked because of a previous federal terror probe, says his only goal was to track down his family he believes were being threatened by his brother-in-law somewhere in the region.
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Habib, 29, told the court his life was turned upside down when that same brother-in-law informed him in late 2012 he and others were the subject of an RCMP probe.
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