man charged in rabih alkhalil prison breakout in canadian custody
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rcmp handout of john potvin, chargd with conspiracy to aid a prison breach in the escape of robby alkhalil. credit: rcmp
rcmp
one of the accused in the prison break of wolfpack gang killer rabih alkhalil is now in canadian custody.
john potvin appeared in a vancouver court on friday after he was extradited to canada from spain, said b.c.’s anti-gang combined forces special enforcement unit.
the ottawa man has been charged with prison breach and conspiracy to commit prison breach for the escape of akhalil from north fraser pretrial centre jail in port coquitlam on july 21, 2022.
potvin had been wanted on a canada-wide warrant and was the subject of an interpol red notice. cfseu and rcmp investigators were notified of his arrest by spanish authorities last september and took custody of potvin on thursday.
two other men charged with aiding alkhalil’s escape are also in custody.
ryan van gool, of harrison hot springs, remains in custody in b.c. facing prison breach charges. he also faces firearms related offences in relation to an alleged conspiracy to murder someone in kamloops in march 2024.
edward ayoub, an ottawa resident, is in custody in ontario on an unrelated matter. ayoub would eventually be brought to b.c. to face charges for his alleged role in alkhalil’s escape, said cfseu spokeswoman sgt. sarbjit k. sangha.
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alkhalil was arrested in qatar in september 2025. canada and qatar do not have an extradition treaty. “we are working with qatari officials to bring him back to canada,” said sangha.
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