Disguised in a Burka, Hitman Points His Gun at Hells Angel's Head - Gun Misfires

Knowah Ferguson was 18 when he tried to kill Damion Ryan,

a full-patch Hells Angels member

Rhianna Schmunk · CBC News 

Knowah Ferguson thought he stood to make a "quick and easy" $200,000.

All he had to do was shoot Damion Ryan — a full-patch member of the Hells Angels gang twice his size — in the food court at Vancouver International Airport at lunchtime on a Friday afternoon, according to evidence at Ferguson's attempted murder trial.

Ferguson — an 18-year-old from Ontario with no previous criminal record — nearly succeeded, but his gun jammed when it was against the back of Ryan's head on April 10, 2015.

Both men ran away and Ferguson was later sent to prison for attempted murder.

Security footage obtained by CBC News on Thursday shows the failed hit as it played out in real time — from a disguised Ferguson arriving at the airport on a Canada Line train to both men escaping on the same train, riding in separate cars metres apart.

Failed hit

Ferguson had just turned 18 when he took a bus from Hamilton, Ont., to Vancouver to do criminal work, court heard.

He planned to shoot Ryan in the food court as the target sat next to a member of the United Nations criminal gang, who had arranged the hit on Ryan. He has not been identified.

Video footage shown to the CBC but not cleared for publication shows Ferguson arrived at the airport by Canada Line at 1:08 p.m. 

He wore a black burka, which was too short for him, leaving his black, high-top sneakers visible at the bottom. 

The gun — which, court heard, Ferguson had tested beforehand in preparation — was hidden in a black purse hanging from his right arm.

Seemingly calm and seldom looking around, Ferguson can be seen walking to the food court near the international check-in counter and sitting down to wait.

After 15 minutes, Ryan arrives and takes a seat across from the UN member — half a dozen tables away from Ferguson and surrounded by dozens of bystanders eating lunch.

Ferguson appears to spot Ryan, makes a trip to the bathroom and returns to a table closer to his target.

Another seven minutes pass and the three men sit, the hitman and target with their backs to each other.

At 1:54 p.m., Ferguson scans the room, stands, peeks inside the purse one more time and tucks the gun up his sleeve. 

He walks past five tables before stopping directly behind Ryan.

Ferguson lifts the gun to the back of the target's head and the UN member leans away — but nothing fires.

Ryan can be seen swinging his right arm up behind his head to swat the gun away.

In less than a second, the Hells Angel is up and sprinting out of the food court. Ferguson follows close behind, and the UN member walks off in another direction.

None of the bystanders appear to realize what's happened.

Escape by Canada Line

Canada Line is an elevated, rapid transit, train line from downtown Vancouver to the airport (YVR) on Sea Island.

Another angle of security footage shows Ryan running toward the international check-in desks to escape. Ferguson veers left, charging down a flight of stairs before slowing down and walking out of the airport to the parkade.

Ferguson disappears from view into a stairwell, emerging in a grey baseball cap, black hoodie and the same black sneakers. The black purse is stuffed in a blue plastic shopping bag.

Ferguson escaped the airport on a Canada Line train at 1:59 p.m., less than five minutes after the botched hit.

Ryan can be seen getting on a different car of the same train, 21 seconds after Ferguson boards near the front.

It's unclear if either man knew the other was on the train.

Arrest and conviction

Ferguson and two associates were arrested on firearms offences after a stolen truck they'd been using was spotted by its owner in Vancouver, two months after the attempted hit at the airport.

On Sept. 7, Ferguson, now 21, was sentenced to seven years for attempted murder and four years for conspiracy.

He received credit for time served, leaving him with a little more than six years to spend behind bars.

Court heard Damion Ryan did not co-operate with the investigation.

One of several good reasons for not allowing burqas in civilized countries.

Islamic Face Veils Banned in Public Buildings by Dutch Parliament

Islamization Backlash - Partial Burqa Ban in Netherlands

© Toussaint Kluiters / Reuters

The Upper House of the Dutch parliament has passed a law banning Islamic face veils and other face-covering garments in public places such as schools, hospitals and government buildings.

But not mosques, I presume?

Lawmakers cited security reasons when they introduced the legislation which outlaws all face-covering garb in public buildings but not on the street. Motorcycle helmets and ski-masks are included in the ban and people who break the new law face a fine of up to €410 ($430).

The bill was approved by the Lower House in 2016, following the failure of efforts to impose a more general ban on burqas and other face-covering veils. The Dutch government’s main advising body in 2015 said the choice to wear an Islamic veil is protected by the constitutional right to freedom of religion, and that it saw no ground to limit that right.

Staunch anti-immigration politician Geert Wilders welcomed the passing of the new law on Twitter, tweeting a screengrab of an article about the issue along with the message: “Adopted!”  

Wilders has long campaigned for a ban on face veils, originally tabling a motion seeking to have them outlawed more than 10 years ago.

The Dutch government describes the new law as “religion-neutral” and it does not extend as far as more comprehensive bans in neighboring France and Belgium.

France introduced a ban on Muslim women wearing full-face veils in public in 2011. Belgium followed suit and introduced a similar ban later that year.

Both countries were taken to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) over their laws. The court upheld France’s burqa ban in 2014 and it also ruled in favor of Belgian authorities in 2017, saying that their law “doesn’t violate European human rights law.”

Favourite to be Next Dutch PM Vows to Ban the Koran and Close All Mosques

Basically, Wilders wants to rid the Netherlands of Islam altogether. This might be 

the only strategy that will ensure the survival of European culture. Other countries 

will come to realize this, but it may be too late when they do.

The promise will not come without great resistance from Muslims, short-sighted leftists,

courts, and from the EU. It will be tantamount to a declaration of war which will radicalize more

Muslims and result in extraordinary chaos in the streets. But if Europe is going to survive,

it has to happen and the sooner the better. It will not get easier as Muslim populations increase.

The front-runner to become the next Dutch Prime Minister has vowed to ban the Koran and to close all mosques in the country.

By TOM PARFITT


Geert Wilders has vowed to ban the Koran if he becomes Dutch PM - Getty

Geert Wilders, leader of the Dutch Freedom Party (PVV), called for the total "de-Islamification" in a controversial manifesto posted online.

The far-right MP, who has previously compared the Koran to Adolf Hitler's Mein Kampf, also vowed to put an end to immigration from Islamic countries.

He would also close all Islamic schools and asylum centres, and ban Muslim women from wearing the headscarf in public, if elected prime minister next year.

If the current levels of immigration continue for just a few more decades, all women will be wearing headscarves in public and burkinis will be the minimum requirement on beaches. This will happen in the lifespan of our children and grandchildren.

Mr Wilders unveiled the manifesto ahead of the Netherlands' parliamentarian elections in March.

The PVV currently leads the pack in almost every opinion poll amid growing anger at the Dutch government’s handling of the refugee crisis.

It is on course to take 35 seats in the 150-seat Dutch Parliament, about 10 seats more than the ruling Liberal party, led by prime minister Mark Rutte.

Mr Wilders also promised to do all he can to hold a referendum on Netherlands' membership of the EU following June's historic Brexit vote.

Sybrand van Haersma Buma, leader of the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) party, branded Mr Wilders' plans "utterly bizarre and unbelievable".

He added: "The programme will further polarise Dutch society."

Mr Wilders last month said he was "proud" of his tough stance on Islam after claiming the Netherlands "can't take any more" refugees from Syria and Iraq.

The outspoken leader added: "I also don't have a problem with people from Slovakia and Lithuania. But I do have a problem with immigration from Islamic countries.

"The EU leaves us no freedom to determine our own immigration and asylum laws. That's why leaving the EU is necessary."


The MP has said the Netherlands 'can't take any more' refugees - Getty

The PVV was unofficially part of the first Rutte cabinet from October 2010 until November 2012.

It gave critical parliamentarian support to help the Liberal and CDA coalition get a majority in the House of Representatives.

But the PVV could struggle to form a coalition if it wins next year's election because other parties are currently reluctant to work with Mr Wilders.