Montreal, Canada – Jewish Congress Decries Firebomber’s Sentence

Montreal, Canada – A seven-year sentence given to a man for firebombing two Montreal Jewish institutions is not nearly long enough to act as any kind of legitimate deterrent, the Canadian Jewish Congress.

Omar Bulphred, 22, pleaded guilty to a total of five charges, including dictating letters claiming the crimes were committed in the name of Islamic Jihad, a militant group that has vowed to destroy Israel.

The Crown and defence jointly recommended the seven-year prison term.

We’re very disappointed with the judgment, said Adam Atlas of the Canadian Jewish Congress.
“We don’t feel it sends enough of a strong message to prevent acts like this from happening again.”

Bulphred pleaded guilty to lobbing a Molotov cocktail at the Skver-Toldos Orthodox Jewish Boys school in September 2006 and at the Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre in April 2007.

Bulphred, who also pleaded guilty to setting a neighbour’s car on fire, has 40 months left in the sentence because of time already served.

The seven-year sentence is nearly double the one handed down in 2005 to Sleiman Elmerhebi, who pleaded guilty to firebombing the United Talmud Torah school in Montreal in April 2004.

“It (Bulphred’s actions) deserved a much more severe sentence and the judge almost doubled the sentence that was rendered in 2005,” said Crown prosecutor Mario Dufresne.
“If these kinds of crimes don’t stop, the sentence will be more and more harsh.”

Before he was sentenced, Bulphred apologized to the Jewish community, but Atlas didn’t buy it.