A Canadian killed in Jakarta on Thursday has been identified as Tahar Amer-Ouali, a resident of Laval, Que.
According to the Associated Press, Amer-Ouali was one of two civilians who died in a bomb attack in the centre of Indonesia's capital.
Born in Algeria, Amer-Ouali was a passionate hearing aid specialist who travelled the world helping people with hearing disabilities, according to his eldest son, Farid Amer-Ouali, one of his five children.
“We all loved my father and he’ll be missed tremendously,” Farid told CTV Montreal.
He described his father, who split his time between Laval and Indonesia, as a man who loved life and travel. He also wanted to provide hearing aids to less fortunate people around the world.
Farid said Tahar Amer-Ouali moved to Canada in hopes of providing “a better future” for his children.
“He lived life to the fullest. He was there because he loved to travel and that was an area of the world he really enjoyed,” Farid said.
He added that his family has been in touch with the Canadian government and that arrangements are being made to bring his father’s remains home.
Amer-Ouali's online LinkedIn profile says the Laval man worked as the director of the International Hearing Center, and had previous experience working at the Jakarta Hearing Centre.
On Saturday, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard tweeted his condolences to the Amer-Ouali family and condemned the violent attack.
Nous condamnons les attentats perpétrés à Jakarta et Ouagadougou. Mes condoléances à la famille du lavallois Tahar Amer-Ouali. #Québec
— Philippe Couillard (@phcouillard) January 16, 2016
In an emailed statement, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada confirmed a Canadian citizen was among the victims, but said it could not release the person's identity or personal issue because of privacy laws.
In total, seven people died in the attack, and more than 20 people were injured.
Indonesian police said Saturday that they have arrested 12 people in connection with the bombing.
