Rideau Canal Honour Killing?

Spinsah · 07-23-2009, 09:07 AM

Ingrid Peritz and Les Perreaux

Globe and Mail Update
Last updated on Thursday, Jul. 23, 2009 09:34AM EDT

What had appeared to be a tragic accident that left three Montreal sisters and a female relative dead in their car at the bottom of the Rideau Canal near Kingston has taken a criminal turn.

Sources say Kingston police, accompanied by members of the Montreal force, Wednesday morning arrested three people in connection with the deaths. Two men and a woman were reportedly taken into custody on their way to Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport.

Police in Kingston refused to confirm any details. But they acknowledged that the three-week investigation into the bizarre incident has shifted focus.

“We're announcing a change in the status of the investigation. That's all I've been permitted to release at this time,” Kingston police spokesman Mike Menor said.

The force will release details at a press conference in Kingston Thursday afternoon.

The arrests followed two visits by police to the home of Mohammad Shafi and his wife Tooba Shafi Yahya, the parents of the three girls – Zainab, 19; Sahar, 17; and Geeti, 13 – who died in the early hours of June 30 along with Mr. Shafi's cousin, Rona Amir Mohammed.

For weeks, investigators puzzled over how the car could have negotiated a series of obstacles to end up at the bottom of the Rideau Canal. They initially described the deaths as “suspicious.”

The Kingston Whig-Standard is reporting that Kingston Police have been investigating an allegation that the deaths were an honour killing. "We are convinced that this is a crime of honour," Diba Masoomi told Kingston Police, in an e-mail sent to the police chief's office roughly two weeks ago and referenced by the newspaper.

The Whig-Standard reports it obtained a copy of the e-mail from Ms. Masoomi, who lives in Niort, France. The paper says she claims to be the sister of Rona Amir Mohammed and that she alleges the dead woman was the first wife of the father of the three dead girls.

She provided photos, the newspaper reports, that she claims show Mr. Shafi and Ms. Mohammed at their wedding in Afghanistan 30 years ago, and that the couple never divorced.

No one answered the door at the Shafi residence Wednesday, but neighbours said police had visited twice since Tuesday. They said police from Montreal and from an Ontario force spent at least three hours at the Shafi home on Tuesday, arriving at suppertime and leaving about 9 p.m.

According to one neighbour, one of the couple's two sons said police had taken photographs inside the family home.

Three of the couple's four surviving children were seen being taken away by authorities in an unmarked car. People on the quiet residential street of brick duplexes said Mr. and Mrs. Shafi were seen sitting outside on the steps while police were inside.

“The police were in there for a long time searching the place,” a neighbour said.

Two neighbours spotted police returning Wednesday morning, and said that when officers were unable to enter the home through either the front or back door, they got in through the garage.

An officer was seen leaving with sheaves of papers.

The stillness inside the Shafi home was a sharp contrast to the day three weeks ago when they opened their door to reporters in what appeared to be an unrestrained willingness to share their grief.

Mrs. Shafi, the mother of the dead girls, wept openly about her loss. Mr. Shafi graciously allowed a stream of reporters through the living room, sadly showing family photographs. At one point, he apologized for the behaviour of his adult son, who had aggressively entered the living room and threatened a television reporter.

The couple's two sons are aged 14 and 18. Their two surviving daughters are eight and 15 years old. The family emigrated to Canada from Afghanistan after spending several years in Dubai.

Before the drownings, the seven children and two parents shared a $1,500-a-month apartment.

Both parents strongly suggested the drownings were the tragic culmination of a joyride gone wrong following a family outing to Niagara Falls. Mrs. Shafi said that after the family pulled into a motel for the night after a long drive from the falls, Zainab knocked on her door and asked for the keys to the family's black Nissan Sentra. The daughter said she had left some clothes inside the car that she wanted to retrieve, her mother said.

Both parents described their eldest daughter as a rebellious young woman and said she had taken the car without permission before. They speculated that she had gone for an early-morning drive with her sisters and Ms. Mohamed, and, not being familiar with the area, had ended up in the canal. She didn't have a driver's licence.

The parents said they were unaware of their daughters' disappearance until the next morning, when they woke to find them and the car gone. The car, with the four bodies inside, was discovered at the bottom of the canal later that day.

The family had divided up into two cars for the trip to Niagara Falls, the parents said. The daughters shared one car with Ms. Mohammed, while the parents and their four surviving children travelled in another.

Spinsah · 07-23-2009, 09:07 AM

Fillmore · 07-23-2009, 09:35 AM

I hang out there all the time when I am in Kingston and that is a huge obstacle course down to the water. Plus its so far off the road, I have no idea how one could drive down there and it not be done on purpose. ...just insane!!!

diablo · 07-23-2009, 09:38 AM

In before "It's their culture."

Rajio · 07-23-2009, 09:49 AM

acheron · 07-23-2009, 10:04 AM

Not to make light but I was _really_ hoping this would be someone tossing Stephen Harper over a bridge into the canal on behalf of 63% of Canadians...

mr tall · 07-23-2009, 10:16 AM

don't worry, you didn't make light

praktik · 07-23-2009, 10:46 AM

obviously the muslims hate us for our freedoms

defazman · 07-23-2009, 11:11 AM

but love us for our multitude of beautiful waterways

AshG · 07-23-2009, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinsah

Ingrid Peritz and Les Perreaux

Globe and Mail Update
Last updated on Thursday, Jul. 23, 2009 09:34AM EDT

What had appeared to be a tragic accident that left three Montreal sisters and a female relative dead in their car at the bottom of the Rideau Canal near Kingston has taken a criminal turn.

what.
WHAT.

who in their fucking right mind could possibly have believed that this was within starship voyageur range of an 'accident'?

defazman · 07-23-2009, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AshG

who in their fucking right mind could possibly have believed that this was within starship voyageur range of an 'accident'?

Depends if you're talking about impulse engines or maximum warp.

acheron · 07-23-2009, 11:39 AM

The Watcher · 07-23-2009, 11:57 AM

^WTF? I'd like to know how that got up there.

acheron · 07-23-2009, 12:06 PM

Power lines were being strung by crews, they do it for miles at a time and then tense them up using winders at either end. The moose was on the ground grazing over the lines when they were lifted up.

The Watcher · 07-23-2009, 12:07 PM

Amazing! Like.... what are the chances of that...

I guess the same likelyhood that some girl navigated all the obstacles to the water in the story above.

derek · 07-23-2009, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajio

holy crap! they're klingons?

kyfe · 07-23-2009, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by derek

holy crap! they're klingons?

where do you hide that when going through club security?

Rajio · 07-23-2009, 01:20 PM

you dont (concealed weapons lack honor) ... you just get a chain and wear it around your neck instead.

zoo · 07-23-2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajio

you dont (concealed weapons lack honor) ... you just get a chain and wear it around your neck instead.

That's lame. I strap mine to the front of my pistol, like a rifle/bayonet combo.

07-23-2009, 09:07 AM	#1
Spinsah TRIBE Member Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: BASTIAN, PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE! Posts: 13,548	Rideau Canal Honour Killing? Ingrid Peritz and Les Perreaux Globe and Mail Update Last updated on Thursday, Jul. 23, 2009 09:34AM EDT What had appeared to be a tragic accident that left three Montreal sisters and a female relative dead in their car at the bottom of the Rideau Canal near Kingston has taken a criminal turn. Sources say Kingston police, accompanied by members of the Montreal force, Wednesday morning arrested three people in connection with the deaths. Two men and a woman were reportedly taken into custody on their way to Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau airport. Police in Kingston refused to confirm any details. But they acknowledged that the three-week investigation into the bizarre incident has shifted focus. “We're announcing a change in the status of the investigation. That's all I've been permitted to release at this time,” Kingston police spokesman Mike Menor said. The force will release details at a press conference in Kingston Thursday afternoon. The arrests followed two visits by police to the home of Mohammad Shafi and his wife Tooba Shafi Yahya, the parents of the three girls – Zainab, 19; Sahar, 17; and Geeti, 13 – who died in the early hours of June 30 along with Mr. Shafi's cousin, Rona Amir Mohammed. For weeks, investigators puzzled over how the car could have negotiated a series of obstacles to end up at the bottom of the Rideau Canal. They initially described the deaths as “suspicious.” The Kingston Whig-Standard is reporting that Kingston Police have been investigating an allegation that the deaths were an honour killing. "We are convinced that this is a crime of honour," Diba Masoomi told Kingston Police, in an e-mail sent to the police chief's office roughly two weeks ago and referenced by the newspaper. The Whig-Standard reports it obtained a copy of the e-mail from Ms. Masoomi, who lives in Niort, France. The paper says she claims to be the sister of Rona Amir Mohammed and that she alleges the dead woman was the first wife of the father of the three dead girls. She provided photos, the newspaper reports, that she claims show Mr. Shafi and Ms. Mohammed at their wedding in Afghanistan 30 years ago, and that the couple never divorced. No one answered the door at the Shafi residence Wednesday, but neighbours said police had visited twice since Tuesday. They said police from Montreal and from an Ontario force spent at least three hours at the Shafi home on Tuesday, arriving at suppertime and leaving about 9 p.m. According to one neighbour, one of the couple's two sons said police had taken photographs inside the family home. Three of the couple's four surviving children were seen being taken away by authorities in an unmarked car. People on the quiet residential street of brick duplexes said Mr. and Mrs. Shafi were seen sitting outside on the steps while police were inside. “The police were in there for a long time searching the place,” a neighbour said. Two neighbours spotted police returning Wednesday morning, and said that when officers were unable to enter the home through either the front or back door, they got in through the garage. An officer was seen leaving with sheaves of papers. The stillness inside the Shafi home was a sharp contrast to the day three weeks ago when they opened their door to reporters in what appeared to be an unrestrained willingness to share their grief. Mrs. Shafi, the mother of the dead girls, wept openly about her loss. Mr. Shafi graciously allowed a stream of reporters through the living room, sadly showing family photographs. At one point, he apologized for the behaviour of his adult son, who had aggressively entered the living room and threatened a television reporter. The couple's two sons are aged 14 and 18. Their two surviving daughters are eight and 15 years old. The family emigrated to Canada from Afghanistan after spending several years in Dubai. Before the drownings, the seven children and two parents shared a $1,500-a-month apartment. Both parents strongly suggested the drownings were the tragic culmination of a joyride gone wrong following a family outing to Niagara Falls. Mrs. Shafi said that after the family pulled into a motel for the night after a long drive from the falls, Zainab knocked on her door and asked for the keys to the family's black Nissan Sentra. The daughter said she had left some clothes inside the car that she wanted to retrieve, her mother said. Both parents described their eldest daughter as a rebellious young woman and said she had taken the car without permission before. They speculated that she had gone for an early-morning drive with her sisters and Ms. Mohamed, and, not being familiar with the area, had ended up in the canal. She didn't have a driver's licence. The parents said they were unaware of their daughters' disappearance until the next morning, when they woke to find them and the car gone. The car, with the four bodies inside, was discovered at the bottom of the canal later that day. The family had divided up into two cars for the trip to Niagara Falls, the parents said. The daughters shared one car with Ms. Mohammed, while the parents and their four surviving children travelled in another.

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07-23-2009, 09:35 AM	#3
Fillmore TRIBE Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Have you ever transcended space and time? Posts: 7,487	I hang out there all the time when I am in Kingston and that is a huge obstacle course down to the water. Plus its so far off the road, I have no idea how one could drive down there and it not be done on purpose. ...just insane!!!

07-23-2009, 09:38 AM	#4
diablo TRIBE Member Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Rolling out some of that boganza shit Posts: 10,438	In before "It's their culture."

07-23-2009, 09:49 AM	#5
Rajio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: From inside the house! Posts: 13,080

07-23-2009, 10:04 AM	#6
acheron TRIBE Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: diabbwlo's pof profile Posts: 18,292	Not to make light but I was _really_ hoping this would be someone tossing Stephen Harper over a bridge into the canal on behalf of 63% of Canadians...

07-23-2009, 10:16 AM	#7
mr tall TRIBE Member Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: PF9K Posts: 17,915	don't worry, you didn't make light

07-23-2009, 10:46 AM	#8
praktik TRIBE Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Up ur nose and around the corner! Posts: 7,737	obviously the muslims hate us for our freedoms

07-23-2009, 11:11 AM	#9
defazman TRIBE Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Mount Lushmore Posts: 12,822	but love us for our multitude of beautiful waterways

07-23-2009, 11:39 AM	#12
acheron TRIBE Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: diabbwlo's pof profile Posts: 18,292

07-23-2009, 11:57 AM	#13
The Watcher TRIBE Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Probably somewhere cuddling with your girlfriend Posts: 27,040	^WTF? I'd like to know how that got up there.

07-23-2009, 12:06 PM	#14
acheron TRIBE Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: diabbwlo's pof profile Posts: 18,292	Power lines were being strung by crews, they do it for miles at a time and then tense them up using winders at either end. The moose was on the ground grazing over the lines when they were lifted up.

07-23-2009, 12:07 PM	#15
The Watcher TRIBE Member Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Probably somewhere cuddling with your girlfriend Posts: 27,040	Amazing! Like.... what are the chances of that... I guess the same likelyhood that some girl navigated all the obstacles to the water in the story above.

07-23-2009, 01:20 PM	#18
Rajio Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: From inside the house! Posts: 13,080	you dont (concealed weapons lack honor) ... you just get a chain and wear it around your neck instead.