The Egypt-born father and son accused of plotting a terrorist attack in Toronto on behalf of ISIS successfully passed through multiple immigration and security screening steps, a timeline of events released by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) indicates.
The Epoch Times obtained the timeline from IRCC after it was provided to the House of Commons public safety committee on Aug. 28 for the
testimony of Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc. The committee is studying the foiled alleged terrorist plot by the two men and seeks to understand how they were admitted to Canada.
The “Immigration Chronology Review” was produced by IRCC with support from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Some information was withheld to respect criminal proceedings and privacy rules, and to protect sources and investigative techniques.
The following IRCC timeline, edited for brevity and clarity, outlines the immigration process for Ahmed Eldidi and his son Mostafa Eldidi. Both men were arrested and charged on July 28 with several terrorism-related offences. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
December 2017: IRCC received a visitor visa application from Ahmed Eldidi, which was refused on the grounds that he was potentially a “non-genuine visitor.” He made a subsequent application with additional documentation. Submitted fingerprints were referred to the RCMP which found no match for a criminal record.
January 2018: IRCC issued a temporary resident visa to Ahmed Eldidi. A “Security Screening Note” said that since IRCC’s security assessment did not identify any risk indicators, the application was not referred for comprehensive security screening by CSIS and CBSA.
February 5, 2018: Ahmed Eldidi entered Canada at Toronto Pearson International Airport.
June 2018: Ahmed Eldidi entered an IRCC office and made an asylum claim.
July 2018: Ahmed Eldidi attended an IRCC office for his asylum claim appointment. “A risk-indicator” presented on his file was addressed during the interview, according to the timeline. IRCC said details of the risk indicator cannot be disclosed to protect the integrity of the immigration screening program.
IRCC reviewed the file for any concerns about “inadmissibility, credibility, or program integrity” that would require further investigation by IRCC or CBSA. “No additional concerns were identified,” said IRCC.
The claim was deemed eligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board. CSIS and CBSA screen all in-Canada refugee claimants and they provided a favourable recommendation for Ahmed Eldidi.
September 2018: IRCC approved a work permit for Ahmed Eldidi.
February 2019: Ahmed Eldidi was granted refugee status.
April 2019: IRCC received Ahmed Eldidi’s application for permanent residency (PR). The department said that “risk indicators” were present on the file.
July 2019: Mostafa Eldidi filed a study permit application with IRCC, which was refused as he was deemed a “potential non-genuine student.” The subject’s fingerprints were submitted to the RCMP, which found no criminal record match.
February 17, 2020: Mostafa Eldidi entered Canada at the Fort Erie border crossing from the United States and made an asylum claim. He told Canadian authorities he had entered the U.S. in January 2020 on a student visa. His application was assessed by CBSA and CSIS and both provided a favourable recommendation.
September 2020: IRCC assessed Mosfata Eldidi’s refugee claim and deemed it eligible for referral to the Immigration and Refugee Board.
January 2021: IRCC referred Ahmed Eldidi PR’s application to CSIS and CBSA for a comprehensive security screening. Both agencies returned a favourable recommendation.
September 2021: Ahmed Eldidi became a permanent resident.
July 2022: Mostafa Eldidi was granted refugee status.
September 2023: Ahmed Eldidi submitted an application for Canadian citizenship.
November 2023: IRCC referred Ahmed Eldidi’s citizenship application for security checks with CSIS, which returned a favourable recommendation.
May 2024: Ahmed Eldidi became a Canadian citizen. IRCC said a “final check” was performed in the immigration records management system “to confirm no new flags or concerns.”
June 2024: CSIS became aware of a potential national security threat posed by Ahmed Eldidi.
July 2024: The RCMP received information about Ahmed Eldidi’s alleged intent to conduct a terrorist attack.
July 28, 2024: Ahmed Eldidi and Mostafa Eldidi were arrested by the RCMP in Richmond Hill, Ont. They were charged with participation in the activity of a terrorist group, facilitating terrorist activity, conspiracy to commit murder, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Ahmed Eldidi faces an additional charge of aggravated assault.
