Former ISIS bride pleads guilty to terror-related charge in B.C. court

VANCOUVER — A British Columbia woman who married an Islamic State fighter has pleaded guilty to terrorist-related charges in a Vancouver court.

The Public Prosecution Service of Canada confirms that Kimberly Polman pleaded guilty on Thursday to leaving Canada to participate in activities of a terrorist group, namely the Islamic State.

Polman had been held in a Syrian detention camp for several years before being returned to Canada in 2022.

She was in poor health, suffering from hepatitis, and her sister said in an interview before she returned that Polman had post-traumatic stress and other challenges.

Her sister, who spoke to The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity, said in an interview in 2021 that Polman met an Islamic State fighter online and married him, but they soon separated and she later denounced the group.

Polman’s trial on two charges was to begin on Nov. 9, and a sentencing hearing hasn’t yet been set. 


This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 9, 2026.

The Canadian Press