Toronto Terror Plot Suspect Faces War Crimes Charges

Ahmed Mostafa Eldidi (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. Alexandra Newbould/The Canadian Press

One of two men accused of plotting a terrorist attack in Toronto has been charged with war crimes in connection with an ISIS video that shows one person dismembering another with a sword.

Ahmed Eldidi, 62, was charged with war crimes, including murder, mutilation, torture, and outrages upon personal dignity, during a Dec. 16 hearing in a Newmarket, Ont., courtroom.  The charges are based on a 2015 ISIS propaganda video outside of Canada that allegedly shows Eldidi dismembering a prisoner with a sword.

The charges have not yet been proven in court.

Eldidi’s defence lawyer, Kabir Sharma, told The Epoch Times he is working to ensure his client gets a fair trial as the Crown tries to show that Eldidi is guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.”

The RCMP arrested Eldidi along with his son, Mostafa Eldidi, 27, at a hotel in Richmond Hill, Ont., on July 28, for being “in the advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto,” according to the RCMP.

The two Egyptian-born men were initially charged with participation in the activities of a terrorist group, facilitating terrorist activity, one count each of possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, and conspiracy to commit murder. The father had an additional charge for an ISIS-related aggravated assault that reportedly occurred outside of Canada in 2015.

The CBC reported that the new war crimes charges replace the aggravated assault charge, according to prosecutors. War crimes are prohibited acts committed in connection with an armed conflict, whether internal or international, against protected persons such as civilians or prisoners of war.

Ahmed Eldidi had obtained Canadian citizenship in the weeks before his arrest. His son had refugee status. Questions about how the accused were admitted to Canada prompted government officials to conduct a public safety case study.

Canada Border Services Agency executive vice-president Ted Gallivan told a House of Commons public safety committee on Aug. 28 that the ISIS propaganda video was not available to border authorities when Ahmed Eldidi was 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.

Ahmed Eldidi entered Canada in February 2018 on a temporary resident visa after being denied a visitor visa on the grounds of being a “potential non-genuine visitor,” according to Immigration Canada. He applied for asylum in June 2018 and was granted refugee status in February 2019. He obtained permanent residency just over two years later.

His son had been denied a study permit in July 2019, but entered Canada in February 2020 through the Fort Erie border crossing from the United States to file an asylum claim. He was granted refugee status in July 2022.

ISIS, also known as the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, has been listed by the Canadian government as a terrorist organization since 2012.

Noé Chartier contributed to this report.