Lawyers for YVR hijacking suspect get more time to prepare bail application

The man accused of hijacking a plane and triggering a security scare at Vancouver International Airport last month appeared briefly at a provincial court in Richmond, B.C., where his lawyers were granted an adjournment.

Shaheer Cassim attended the court virtually from Surrey Pretrial Centre wearing an orange sweatsuit.

He acknowledged he could see and hear the judge, and sat with his hands on his knees throughout the short video appearance, which lasted less than five minutes.

An articling student representing Cassim’s defence lawyer, Kevin Westell, asked the court for a two-week adjournment as they continue to prepare a bail application.

The agent confirmed Cassim had agreed to remain in custody until his next appearance, which the judge scheduled for Sept. 2.

Cassim is a former commercial pilot who faces charges for allegedly taking a small aircraft from Victoria’s airport on July 15 and flying it over the Vancouver airport before he was arrested upon landing.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) says F-15 jets were deployed and en route to respond to the aircraft, but “the incident resolved before any NORAD assets arrived on scene.”

Mounties allege the suspect threatened a flight instructor before stealing the plane.

“Investigators have determined the suspect acted with an ideological motive to disrupt airspace,” said Richmond RCMP Sgt. Tammy Lobb at the time, adding that no one was injured.

The incident caused delays and diversions at YVR.

The 39-year-old has been in custody at the pretrial facility in Surrey since his arrest and his court files have been placed under publication bans.

He’s been charged with hijacking, which is an offence constituting terrorism, and with damaging or interfering with a navigation system.