PROFILE: Awso Peshdary

Age: 20

Arrested in: Ottawa

Charges:

• Assault and uttering threats in April
• Assault and uttering threats Aug. 10

On his way to work early on the morning of Friday, Aug. 27, 2010 Awso Peshdary was stopped by police and taken into custody by the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.

According to the Ottawa Citizen his car was badly damaged and witnesses reported police guns were drawn. Undercover police cars, a tactical unit black SUV, and RCMP and Ottawa police cruisers were at the scene, on Esson Street near Hunt Club Road in Ottawa.

Until a few months ago he worked in advertising sales at Muslim Link, a community newspaper. Peshdary's name still appears on the paper's online rate card for ads. It has been reported that at the time of his arrest he was working at a call centre.

Peshdary is married and has a six-month-old daughter.

When he was 18 and single, he wrote on a matrimonial website that he wanted to study education at university. He listed basketball and soccer as his favourite sports. "I am looking for a special lady who first of all is a dedicated Muslim, second, who looks very beautiful, don't mean to be rude but a virgin. A person I can never stop talking to, one who will raise my children according to Islam, and who will be my companion to the afterlife inshallah," he wrote in his listing.

Peshdary wrote that as a prank, according to one of his best friends, Marc Richer. Richer said he was surprised his friend had not removed it after he got married.

Peshdary and Richer gave talks together earlier this year to Muslim youth "about how to stay off drugs and alcohol and give them pointers on how to be good Muslims," Richer told CBC News.

Last year, Peshdary was featured on posters for "Resurrection," a series of events aimed at Muslim youth in Ontario and Quebec.

His family roots are in Iraq and his name is Kurdish. He has Canadian citizenship.

On Saturday, he was granted bail and released after being questioned for hours. Then he was facing one charge of assault and one charge of threatening. Moments after being released, he was rearrested on a third charge, and a fourth count was added Sunday. A publication ban forbids reporting what was said in court.

Peshdary released, re-arrested, released

Peshdary has not been charged with terrorism-related offences.

His lawyer, Richard Morris, said police were "seeking to detain this individual on the domestic charges in order to further the investigation by the RCMP."

After two more bail hearings Peshdary was released, with conditions. Prosecutor Julie Scott did not object to his release. She said there were no complaints of domestic violence before his arrest.

Police interrogated Peshdary's wife after his arrest (she cannot be named under a publication ban). Police had wiretapped the Peshdary home for what Morris told reporters was "a substantial period of time."

A Free Awso Peshdary group was started Monday on Facebook, and now has more than 250 members. William McMann of Ottawa writes: "I remember an incredible athlete with pride, determination and empathy."

Ottawa high school student Sharmarke Sahal, who created the group, wrote to CBC News that Peshdary is "a role model to young Muslims and wouldn't do anything to sacrifice the well-being of his new family."