A 32-year-old woman charged with uttering death threats while allegedly armed with a knife at a Toronto store before pledging allegiance to the Islamic State group earlier this month told a courtroom Monday that she would attempt to do it “again and again” if released.
“I meant to harm those people,” Rehab Dughmosh told Justice Kimberley Crosbie through an Arabic interpreter during a court appearance.
“I reject all counsel here. I only believe in Islamic Sharia law. I would like to revoke my Canadian citizenship that I received. I don’t want to have any allegiance to you.”
Toronto police responded to a Canadian Tire store at Scarborough’s Cedarbrae Mall, in the Lawrence Avenue East and Markham Road area, on June 3 at 5:10 p.m.
READ MORE: Woman wearing ISIS bandana charged in knife incident at Toronto mall: source
Police said a woman walked to the paint section of the store with a golf club and began swinging it at employees and a customer while uttering threats.
A source confirmed to Global News the woman was reportedly wearing a niqab and a bandana adorned with what appeared to be a symbol for IS at the time of the alleged incident.
Police said employees and customers managed to subdue the woman and contact police, when she pulled a “large knife” out from under her clothing.
The woman was restrained and police said the knife was “pried out of her hand” with the help of another store employee. The employee sustained non-life threatening injuries and was treated at the scene.
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VIDEO: Woman pledges allegiance to ISIS after knife incident at Scarborough mall (June 6)
The RCMP confirmed its Greater Toronto Area Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) was investigating the incident in partnership with Toronto police and there was “no outstanding risk to public safety.”
Dughmosh, of Toronto, was charged June 6 with assault, uttering threats to cause death, carrying a concealed weapon and two counts each of assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for committing an offence.
“In my perspective, I’m not guilty. In your perspective, I might be guilty.”
Crown lawyer Phil Kotanen told the court he needed more time for disclosure and the judge agreed to an adjournment until Dughmosh’s next court appearance July 4.
“We need to deal with serious criminal charges whether you believe in it or not,” Crosbie told Dughmosh.
When asked by the judge if she was willing to take responsibility and plead guilty, Dughmosh indicated she was.
Monday marks Dughmosh’s third court appearance since her arrest and her second in-person. She previously waived her right to a bail hearing earlier this month.
“I renounce Canadian law. I renounce any man-made law. I only believe in any law made by Allah,” she told the court Monday.
“I would like the word of Allah to be the supreme word. And I will go on and I will keep on fighting. And I will fight anyone who will fight against Islamic beliefs.”
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