Monir Kassim, one of three men pictured with Mayor Rob Ford in a now infamous photo, was released on bail Tuesday.

Kassim was arrested June 13 as part of a massive guns and drugs investigation called Project Traveller. He is facing charges of trafficking in weapons and drugs for the benefit of a criminal organization, as well as charges of breach of house arrest, theft under $5,000 and conspiracy to commit unauthorized possession of a firearm.

Ontario Justice C. Humeniuk’s reasons for granting Kassim bail at Tuesday’s hearing are covered by a publication ban. His conditions include not being allowed to leave his father’s home without a surety, no phones and no contact with any of his 55 co-accused in Project Traveller.

He must also stay 200 metres away from the Dixon Rd. highrises that were the primary targets of the raids, and where he lived with his mother and siblings. Before his June 13 arrest, Kassim told the Star he was on house arrest for another offence.

Dressed in a black t-shirt and with a dark beard, Kassim was sombre throughout most of Tuesday’s hearing, until hearing the news he would be released. Then he smiled intermittently at his mother and girlfriend.

The 20-year-old is a well-known defendant in Project Traveller because he is one of three men — all longtime friends and alleged members of the Dixon City Bloods street gang — pictured with the mayor outside a reputed west-end drug den. The photograph was given to the Star by the same men who showed two reporters a cellphone video of the mayor appearing to smoke crack cocaine and making homophobic remarks.

Several sources have told the Star that during the course of the Project Traveller probe, police became aware of the cellphone video of Ford appearing to smoke crack cocaine.

The other two men in the photo are Anthony Smith, who was shot dead outside the Loki Lounge on King St. West on March 27, and Muhammad Khattak, also injured in the same shooting. Khattack, 19, who was also arrested as part of Project Traveller, was released on bail July 9.

Kassim’s lawyer, Bob Richardson, said he was not surprised by the decision to grant his client bail.

“I think the judge carefully considered everything,” he said. “His family is very relieved he is out of custody, and we will take it one step at a time.”

Outside the courthouse, Fathiya Abasheikh, Kassim’s mother, said the allegations against her son were “not Monir.” She added the family will support the young man.

“We’re all going to make sure he’s not going to get in any trouble,” she said.

When asked about the photo of her son and the mayor, she replied: “A lot of people do have a picture with the mayor.”