National security investigators from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arrested and charged a youth in Kingston, Ontario, with a terrorism-related offence, Canada’s national police force said Friday.
Police have laid two charges against the youth, whose identity cannot be revealed due to Canada’s Youth Criminal Justice Act because he is a minor.
The youth is accused of knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity and counselling another person to “deliver, place, discharge or detonate an explosive or other lethal device” in a public place “with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury.”
Police have also detained and questioned a 20-year-old man but have yet to lay charges against him.
CBC News identified the man as Hussam Eddin Alzahabi, a Syrian refugee whose family was sponsored to come to Canada from Kuwait in 2017.
(listen to the statement by Michael LeSage, a chief superintendent with the RCMP’s “O” Division)
ListenDuring a press conference Friday, the RCMP said they received a “credible” tip from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in late December 2018 about a planned terrorist attack.
The investigation, which involved several local and federal law enforcement and security agencies, eventually led to the police raids at two homes in Kingston Thursday.
No specific target
Police officers carry evidence after raiding a house in Kingston, Ontario, on Thursday Jan. 24, 2019. (Lars Hagberg/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
“There was no specific target identified but there was an attack planned,” RCMP Superintendent Peter Lambertucci told reporters.
Police found trace elements of homemade explosives at one of the residences and had to call in a bomb squad to detonate an explosive substance, Lambertucci said.
“I want to reassure the citizens of the greater Kingston, Ont., area and all Canadians that during the investigation, our primary focus was the safety and protection of the public,” said Michael LeSage, a chief superintendent with the RCMP’s “O” Division.
Police would not comment on the ideological motivations of the people apprehended or say if they had any ties to foreign elements.
Family dumbfounded
A home in shown in Kingston, Ont., on Friday, Jan. 25, 2019. The RCMP say they have charged a Kingston youth with terrorism. They have also arrested an adult man but have not charged him with anything at this point. Amin Alzahabi, the father of Hussam Eddin Alzahabi, 20, said Friday his son had been arrested but not charged. (Jim Bronskill/THE CANADIAN PRESS)
Earlier Friday, Alzahabi’s father told CBC News he was astounded by the arrest of his 20-year-old son.
“They tell me they search about him about terrorists. I know my son, he didn’t think about that. He like Canada. He like the safety in Canada. How could he think about that?” Amin Alzahabi told CBC News’ Philip Ling in an interview from his home Friday morning.
“It’s fake news about my son. I trust my son. I know he cannot do anything against any human, humanity.
“They inspected everything from my house. They didn’t find anything. I think this is not good.”
No reason to raise terror alert
This photo provided by Neil Aird, taken on Jan. 13, 2019 in Kingston, Ontario shows a police surveillance plane. A surveillance plane has been flying over downtown Kingston since early January, and word of the RCMP plane flying overhead might have prompted police to take action in the arrest. (Neil Aird via AP)
Public Security Minister Ralph Goodale said there is no reason to bump up Canada’s terrorism threat level, which has remained at “medium” since 2014.
“The Government of Canada constantly monitors all potential threats and has robust measures in place to address them,” Goodale said in a statement.
“Canadians can be confident that whenever credible information is obtained about a potential threat, the RCMP, CSIS (Canadian Security Intelligence Service) and other police and security agencies take the appropriate steps to ensure the security of this country and the safety of its citizens.”
Calls for review of refugee screening process
Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer commended the work of the RCMP and local police while adding the continuing terrorist threat demands strong national security legislation to help law enforcement.
Scheer also said Canada’s “refugee screening process needs to be seriously examined.”
“We’ve recently learned of several examples of dangerous individuals entering the country due in part to lax screening procedures,” Scheer said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned against trying to divide Canadians.
“First of all, we are a country that is one of the safest in the world,” Trudeau said, commending the “extraordinary work” of Canadian law enforcement and security agencies.
“It’s also important to highlight that anyone who chooses to divide Canadians against each other to use fear or violence to threaten our society will fail, because Canadians are strong and resilient, and we lean on each other and we’re there for each other.”
With files from CBC News
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