Ottawa Teens Accused of Plotting Attack on Pro-Israel Rally on Parliament Hill: Report

Ottawa Teens Accused of Plotting Attack on Pro-Israel Rally on Parliament Hill: Report
A RCMP cruiser is seen in downtown Ottawa on May 29, 2023. Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press
Andrew Chen
Updated:

Two Ottawa minors facing terrorism charges were allegedly plotting an attack on a pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill before their arrests, according to a media report.

The first youth arrested by the RCMP last December was charged with instructing others to carry out terrorist activities and sharing instructions related to explosive materials, and was later charged with conspiracy to murder. Additional charges suggest an association with a terrorist group.

The second youth, arrested in February, was also charged with conspiring to commit murder at the direction of, or in association with, a terrorist group, as well as charges for knowingly facilitating terrorist activities by distributing instructional material and propaganda and attempting to acquire a prohibited firearm.

Details of the plot were not disclosed at the time of the youths’ arrests, but newly released documents filed in court, obtained and first reported on by Global News, detailed their suspected target.

An application by federal lawyers to withhold sensitive national security information from the youths’ trials included the claim that a pro-Israel rally was the target of the accused.

“They are alleged to have formed a plan last fall to violently attack Jewish persons in Ottawa, possibly through the detonation of an explosive device at a pro-Israel rally,” the Department of Justice said, as cited by Global News.

One of the accused reportedly faces charges of possessing acetone, an oxidizer, and metal ball bearings commonly used in homemade bombs.

The plot was allegedly linked to ISIS, which is also known as Daesh, and was “possibly accelerated” by the Hamas attack on Israel, according to the Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre, a federal organization responsible for assessing terrorism threats to Canada.

“Although radicalization of these individuals reportedly began prior to the October 2023 Hamas attack, at least one of the individuals was reportedly in contact with DAESH overseas and the arrests occurred during a period of DAESH calls to violence in response to the conflict,” the centre said, as reported by Global.

Details of the case comes amid growing anti-Semitic violence in Canada following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel last October, including bomb threats and gunfire targeting Jewish schools and incendiary devices aimed at synagogues.

Several Conservative MPs signed a letter on Nov. 13, calling for an urgent meeting of the House of Commons public safety committee to address the issue, citing the youths’ plot.

“The suspected terrorists have ties to ISIS, and this is now the third instance of a terror plot against the Jewish community with ties to this terrorist organization. It is becoming increasingly clear that Canada is a high priority target for ISIS inspired terrorists,” the MPs wrote.

Another recent foiled terror attack planned for Toronto involved two men, Ahmed Eldidi and his son, Mostafa Eldidi, who were arrested on July 28. The men face nine terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy to commit murder on behalf of the terrorist group ISIS.
Noé Chartier contributed to this report.