Suspect in Toronto Terror Plot Came to Canada in 2018, Became Citizen in 2024: Officials

Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, 62, (L) is seen in a courtroom sketch with his son, Mostafa Eldidi, as they appeared via video for a hearing in Newmarket, Ont., on Aug. 1, 2024. The pair were arrested in Richmond Hill, Ont., on July 28 and face nine different terrorism charges including conspiracy to commit murder on behalf of the terror group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Alexandra Newbould

One of the two men accused of planning a terrorist attack in Toronto came to Canada in 2018 and filed an asylum claim, months after being denied a visitor visa, officials say. His arrest came weeks after he obtained Canadian citizenship.

A timeline of the immigration process of Ahmed Eldidi and his son Mostafa Eldidi, both arrested and charged by the RCMP with terrorism offences in July, was provided to MPs by Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc on Aug. 28.

LeBlanc provided the chronology to the House of Commons public safety committee before appearing alongside immigration and security officials. The committee is conducting a study on the foiled alleged ISIS-linked plot by the Eldidis and seeks to understand how the two were admitted to Canada.

“We are carrying out a review to determine whether in these cases the security agencies could have found or identified something, and if that turns out to be the case, we will put in place measures to correct it,” said LeBlanc.

While the immigration details for Mostafa Eldidi were not clearly laid out, the chronology discussed in committee indicates Ahmed Eldidi first applied for a visitor visa in 2017. That application was denied on the grounds of being a “potential non-genuine visitor,” according to Immigration Canada.

The full chronology from the department obtained by The Epoch Times indicates Ahmed Eldidi made a subsequent visa application in January 2018, which was granted. Ahmed Eldidi arrived at Toronto Pearson International Airport in February 2018, and later made an asylum claim in June of that year.

Ahmed Eldidi obtained his permanent residency in September 2021 and his citizenship in May 2024, a few weeks before being caught with bladed weapons. The RCMP said he and his son were in the “advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto” and both were charged with several terrorism-related offences.

ISIS Video

The father faces an additional charge of aggravated assault, with some media reports linking it to his participation in an ISIS propaganda video outside Canada in 2015 in which he allegedly dismembered a prisoner with a sword. None of the allegations have been tested in court.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Bryan Larkin refused to comment on the video, citing the ongoing criminal prosecution and investigation.

A senior executive for the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) did speak about the video and said his organization had obtained a copy from the dark web after it was reported in the media.

CBSA Executive Vice-President Ted Gallivan told MPs the video was not available to CBSA when Ahmed Eldidi was being screened.

“I can say that the preliminary indications were that that video of the father was not available in that instance that we found, in 2018 or 2021, that it was only made available more recently,” said Gallivan, confirming the father is linked to the video and referring to the dates of screenings for asylum and permanent residency.

“We’re also asking ourselves the question around the feasibility of finding a video like that, if you don’t know about it,” he added. Gallivan also said his agency is reviewing a sample of closed files that were screened positive to see if procedural changes are needed.

The Conservatives have criticized the government over the matter, saying the security screening system failed by admitting someone to Canada who featured in an ISIS propaganda video.

Minister of Public Safety Dominic LeBlanc and RCMP Deputy Commissioner Bryan Larkin chat before appearing at the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU) on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Aug. 28, 2024. Patrick Doyle/The Canadian Press

“Are you really telling Canadians that that’s how our system should work?” Tory Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman asked LeBlanc.

LeBlanc said as soon as Ottawa became aware of the threat-related information, all the appropriate steps were taken by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) and the RCMP.

“I am very proud of the work that the RCMP and CSIS did in thwarting this particular case,” he said.

LeBlanc was asked by MPs to confirm whether the tip had been received from a foreign country, as reported in the media, but he refused to do so. “You know that the intelligence agencies are not going to ever discuss the sources of intelligence or information they get from partner agencies,” he said.

CSIS became aware in June of the potential threat and briefed him on July 24, Leblanc said. The arrests were made on July 28 in Richmond Hill, north of Toronto.

“I was assured of and briefed on the close surveillance of the threat, including at the appropriate time, by members of the RCMP who were positioned to act on any indicators, any indicators of an escalating or imminent threat,” the minister said.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller is expected to testify before the committee at a later date.

Editor’s note: the article was updated after receiving the chronology from Immigration Canada.