A bail hearing has been postponed for David Abitbol, the 28-year-old Montreal man accused of making online threats to kill former school teachers and classmates, while the prosecution considers additional charges.
Abitbol, who was arrested Saturday at his parents' home on Gouin Blvd. East in north-end Montreal, is now charged with uttering death threats, and for the unsafe storage of his weapons.
A Surete du Quebec police search of the residence led to the seizure of five firearms and several hundred rounds of ammunition.
The prosecution opposed bail Monday, the same day its case was strengthened by new evidence yet to be made public.
"Obviously if we're not in possession of all information, we cannot hold the debate that is consequent," said defence lawyer Charles Benmuyan.
Abitbol allegedly wrote about his love of firearms on his Facebook page, under the pseudonym "David Darkiller," triggering two of his online friends to add comments such as "I think you have a gun addiction. You should see a psychologist."
A criminologist with the Pinel Institute met with the accused before the hearing Monday, said prosecutor Steeve Lariviere.
Resemblance to Dawson shooter
The online profile bears resemblance to that of Kimveer Gill, a former Dawson student who killed one other student and injured 15 more at Dawson CEGEP in September 2006.
Gill was found to have posted threats online, to have collected weapons, and to delve in to virtual on-line games.
Both Gill and Abitbol's parents defended their son.
Interviewed by CTV's Aphrodite Salas Sunday, Abitbol's father, Joseph Abitbol, said the arrest is due to a horrible misunderstanding.
"Nothing is real, it's a game. A virtual game," he said. "He's not hurting anybody."
The prosecution disagrees and said it will intend to prove Abitbol's so-called online threats are criminal.
"The way you utter a threat, if it's when you speak or write it down – a threat is a threat," said Larivee.
