Bail bid for man suspected of making bomb threat against U.S. Consulate delayed again

A bail hearing for a man accused of making a bomb threat against the U.S. Consulate in Halifax was adjourned for a third time Friday as the man’s lawyer said he was aware more charges were possible.

Halifax resident Ali Assakereh was charged Tuesday with uttering threats and public mischief after police also accused him of placing a propane tank and flammable liquids in his car before parking it near the consulate.

On Friday, his legal aid lawyer, Lonny Queripel, said the ongoing police investigation has complicated his efforts to seek bail for his client, who has been held in custody on minor charges since his arrest on Monday morning. Previous bail hearings were adjourned on Tuesday and Wednesday.

“We really need to know what we are dealing with before we attempt to present a bail plan to the court,” Queripel said outside the courtroom. “If there's more charges, the goalposts are moving and it's difficult to know what a court would consider appropriate bail.”

The 54-year-old suspect was at the provincial courthouse in Halifax on Friday, but he remained in a cell on a lower floor during the brief court hearing. Provincial court Judge Del Atwood granted Queripel’s request for an adjournment until Aug. 19.

Queripel told the judge his client consented to remaining in custody.

Outside the courtroom, however, the lawyer said he might adopt a different approach if his client is kept in custody on minor charges beyond next Wednesday. 

“A week or two out, then you can start to say to a judge, ‘Look, they've had plenty of time to determine what they're dealing with,” Queripel said. 

Meanwhile, the lawyer said his client is “somewhat frustrated” by the pace of the proceedings, but Queripel said Assakereh seems to be holding up well.

“In the circumstances, we've had good conversations,” the lawyer said, adding that those talks have required the help of an interpreter who speaks Farsi, the language mainly spoke in Iran.

“I've had no difficulty talking to him about what we need to accomplish and getting his co-operation …. Clearly, he would rather be home than … where he's at, but he’s willing to give us the time to deal with the situation appropriately.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 14, 2026.

By Michael MacDonald | Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.