A 22-year-old Montreal man appeared in court Thursday morning because the RCMP fears he will commit a terrorist act.
Police evidence against Merouane Ghalmi, a former kickboxing champion, has not been made public.
He appeared briefly before a judge, but the proceedings were postponed. He is being asked to sign a peace bond. That means he would have to regularly report to police and he would be required to surrender his passport.
Ghalmi will be asked to sign the bond when he returns to court March 27th.
The Public Prosecution Service of Canada says the federal government has used peace bonds in terrorism-related matters fewer than 10 times.
Daniel Brien, a spokesman for the federal Crown, said the peace bond is a preventive measure.
"It's a (binding) agreement that, when signed by an individual, with certain conditions, will keep the peace," he said from Ottawa.
The prosecutor explained the process in a brief interview with CTV Montreal at the courthouse Thursday.
"We want him to respect certain conditions but right now he just appeared. I disclosured the evidence to the defence and at the next date is set for hearing and then we'll see what kind of conditions," said Crown Prosecutor Lyne Decarie.
Ghalmi, 22, is a former mixed martial arts combatant who trained at a Montreal gym.
The RCMP filed an affidavit outlining their evidence against Ghalmi, but the documents are sealed, so it's not clear why he is seen as a threat.
Montreal criminal lawyer Andrew Barbacki said that the peace bond approach to such matters is rare and that the evidence might never be made public.
"In a case like this where terrorism is alleged or in question, I wouldn't be surprised that there would be some editing of information and when national security is at stake," he said.
The approach is a balancing game when it comes to rights, Barbacki notes.
"Certainly the rights of individuals are not completely given up but they can be encroached upon. It's always a question about balancing individual rights against the rights of society's security," said Barbacki.
If Ghalmi signs the requested peace bond at his next court appearance, it will be the first time a terrorism-related peace bond has ever been issued by a Quebec court.
The Conservative government introduced an anti-terrorism bill last month that would make it easier for the RCMP to obtain a peace bond.
Existing law requires a fear that someone "will commit" a terrorism offence before police can obtain a peace bond -- a tool that can mean jail unless a suspect abides by strict conditions, for instance that they surrender their passport and regularly report to police.
A new, lower threshold would be reasonable grounds to fear a person "may commit" a terrorism offence.
- With files from The Canadian Press
