Son testifies he believed voice of God told him to kill, dismember his father

Zaineddin Al Aalaksays he believed he was following the voice of God's instructions when he killed and dismembered his father.

The 24-year-old is charged with second-degree murder in the death of Mohamed Jasmin Al Aalak, 53.

Al Aalak testified Monday in a makeshift courtroomat the Calgary Stampede grounds, where jury trials are now taking place to allow for physical distancingbecause of COVID-19.

He told the court he had been hearing voices for years, butJuly 15, 2017, was the first time the voices told him to do something violent.

He said his father had shown up unexpectedly at 1 a.m. at the house where he lived with his mother and sisters.

Mohamed and his wife were separated, so Mohamed was living elsewhere. Al Alaak's mother and daughterswere in Iraq visiting family.

"I felt he was unusual when I looked at him, he looked like he was artificial, made of plastic, made of rubber," Al Aalak.

Al Alaak said he became paranoid of his father's intentions and believed he was an imposter.

"I heard the voice [of God]indicate to me that he's here for the purpose of killing me," Al Alaak said.

"I was commanded to kill him It sounded like this, 'I command you to kill him at once,'" he said, speaking in a robotic voice.

Al Alaak said he picked up a hammer on the dining room table and struck his father twice in the side of the head, before punching him multiple times and choking him.

He then dragged his father's body down the stairs and shoved him into the freezer. He later dismembered the body and took it to a construction site where the body would eventually be found all on the command of the voice in his head, he said.

Two days after the killing, a construction worker moved a bag at the site and a human head rolled out.

Police were called and found more human remains wrapped in bed sheets, whichturned out to be Mohamed.

Investigators ultimately found Mohamed's blood in Al Alaak's home and on a hatchet and hammer on his bedside table.

• Son killed and dismembered father but defence to argue he's not criminally responsible

Al Alaak said while he does smoke cannabis, he hadn't smoked or used any other drugs within a few days of the killing.

He said after his arrest, he continued to hear voices, including the voice of comedian George Carlin.

Al Alaak said he believed everyone on earth was evil other than 11 people, including UFC presidentDana White, MMA fighter Conor McGregor, outgoing U.S. president Donald Trump, businessman and philanthropist Bill Gates andphysicist Michio Kaku.

Al Alaak's defence lawyer has said he intends to arguehe was not criminally responsible, meaning hedid not understand that his actions were morally wrong at the time of the killing.

People found NCR are sent to secure psychiatric facilities for treatment instead of prisons.

The trial continues on Tuesday.