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CBC has learned new details of Michael Zehaf-Bibeau’s life in British Columbia that appear to challenge the picture of a homeless, drug-addicted drifter.
The account by a former supervisor and friend at a drilling company in Squamish, B.C. also reveals that Zehaf-Bibeau was open about his support for jihadi groups.
CBC News also reported Wednesday that Zehaf-Bibeau showed his co-workers videos of improvised explosive device attacks on coalition forces, but they didn’t take the videos seriously.
The Citizen was unable to verify the CBC’s reporting or the account they were given by a former supervisor and friend who worked with Zehaf-Bibeau for two years at the drilling company.
The foreman — who was not named by CBC — first got to know the man who called himself Mike Zehaf in 2007 when he arrived in Squamish, according to reports. The foreman said he worked closely with Zehaf-Bibeau for two years until they were laid off when the project ended.
The foreman said Zehaf-Bibeau once joked about being a suicide bomber when he ran up to a co-worker with his jacket held tightly shut. He then opened his jacket and yelled, “Boom!” the foreman said.
The foreman told CBC the only time he saw Zehaf-Bibeau turn violent was when he almost stabbed a worker from the Philippines with a screwdriver. The foreman said that the worker constantly told Zehaf-Bibeau that he was dumb.
According to the foreman, Zehaf-Bibeau made more than $90,000 a year and was focused on saving money. He was devout and prayed five times a day, the foreman said.
“The Mike Zehaf I knew was a nice guy,” the foreman told CBC News. “Kind, friendly, polite and appreciative. He always had good manners, like a guy who was trying to impress the parents of a hot chick.”
Agencies/Canadajournal
