A former commercial pilot, Shaheer Cassim, has been charged with hijacking a light aircraft, an incident that caused a significant security alert at Vancouver International Airport. This event unfolded just a day after Cassim declared on social media that he was a "messenger of Allah" on a mission to combat climate change. The 39-year-old is accused of taking control of the plane at Victoria International Airport after allegedly threatening a flight instructor. He then flew to Vancouver, prompting Norad to scramble F-15 fighter jets in response to the situation.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated that Cassim had an "ideological motive" for his actions. Images circulating on social media show a bearded man resembling Cassim being arrested on the north runway of Vancouver International Airport. In a Facebook post made just before the incident, Cassim proclaimed himself the "messiah sent to save humanity from climate change and usher in an era of world peace." He expressed concerns about "abrupt runaway global warming" leading to human extinction within a few years.

Cassim's history includes a notable 2012 cross-country bicycle ride aimed at raising awareness about global warming. His Facebook profile indicates he worked for KD Air, a now-defunct airline, from 2008 to 2010. The airline's former owners, Diana and Lars Banke, described Cassim as one of the most intelligent pilots they had encountered. Lars Banke noted that Cassim left the airline due to boredom and later pursued medical school. He also mentioned that Cassim had expressed beliefs about the impending end of the world.

Diana Banke expressed her shock at the charges against Cassim, recalling him as a young man who was "like a kid" during his time at the airline. "Something would (have to) be going on that's not normal," Lars Banke remarked, adding that Cassim was generally a caring individual. Diana Banke remembered Cassim's long bicycle trek, during which he brought a dog along.

While Lars Banke acknowledged Cassim's interest in environmentalism, he was unaware of any religious beliefs. Diana Banke confirmed, "He never spoke religion with us." Cassim's online presence includes various posts discussing religion, climate science, and calls for tolerance and peace. He claimed that "the Angel Gabriel appeared before me and gave me a message from Allah."

Cassim attended high school in Lloydminster, Alberta, before studying aviation at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology. He also runs a blog focused on the effects of climate change on the Arctic, featuring hundreds of technical posts since 2011. His latest entry, published just days before the hijacking, poses the question: "Will humans go extinct soon?"