MONTREAL—A 51-year-old Tunisian man appeared in court on Friday, trying to get bail. He was arrested in mid-December for allegedly trying to kidnap a three- year-old child for ransom in Outremont.
Chiheb Battikh is charged with kidnapping a three-year-old in broad daylight in Outremont near FX Garneau Park with the intention of extracting a ransom from the child’s family.
A case like this hasn't surfaced for decades in Quebec. Battikh is charged with trying to hold the little boy against his will. The plan was thwarted by boy’s father, who put up a serious fight to protect his baby. In the process, he was injured because his attacker used a Taser gun and punched him.
As a result, Battikh is facing weapons charges as he was found in possession of a Taser gun and a can of pepper spray. Both are illegal. Those are charges usually lead to lengthy jail terms. However, Battikh’s lawyer feels that his client, a father of five from Laval, does deserve to be released on bail.
The prosecution is against bail. Nonetheless, a family friend took the stand to offer some guarantees to the court should Battikh obtain bail.
The three year-old is the grandson of a wealthy businessman, but right now his parents fear for their safety. CTV Montreal has learned that they hired bodyguards and left Montreal for the sake of protecting themselves and the child.
Battikh’s bail hearing continues Monday afternoon.
