The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) issued the following press releases:
Ottawa youth arrested on terrorism offences
On December 15, 2023, the RCMP Federal Policing Integrated National Security Enforcement Team in Ottawa, in cooperation with, and support from, the Ottawa Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Canadian Security Intelligence Service and other National Security Partners, arrested and charged a young person for terrorism-related offences under the Criminal Code of Canada in connection with terrorist activity.
The young person was charged with the following offences:
Facilitation of a terrorist activity by communicating instructional material related to an explosive substance contrary to subsection 83.19(1) of the Criminal Code; and,
Knowingly instructing, directly or indirectly, a person to carry out a terrorist activity against Jewish persons contrary to subsection 83.22(1) of the Criminal Code.
The Youth Criminal Justice Act prevents any further release of information regarding this individual.
Additional charges laid against Ottawa youth arrested on terrorism offences
RCMP Federal Policing Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) executed a search warrant on the residence of the Ottawa youth arrested on terrorism offences. The search of the residence uncovered materials that are used in creating explosive substances.
As a result, the young person has been charged with three additional offences:
Knowingly facilitating a terrorist activity by being in possession of explosive substances contrary to subsection 83.19 (1) of the Criminal Code;
Possession of explosive substances with intent thereby to endanger life contrary to paragraph 81 (1) (d) of the Criminal Code;
Possession of explosive substances contrary to subsection 82 (1) of the Criminal Code.
On December 20, 2023, Global News reported:
The youth’s alleged path to radicalization began before Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks in Israel, according to sources, but the charges come against the backdrop of the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas and heightened concerns about both antisemitism and anti-Muslim sentiment in Canada…
The youth’s father, speaking exclusively to Global News on Saturday morning, said that his son had been becoming “more religious,” and that the father told him to stay away from “extremist people.”
“There are some people taking advantage of him,” the father, whom Global News is not identifying to protect the youth’s identity, said.
“They are bad. They are not religious. They use religion. They use religion to achieve their goals, you know, their personal goals, private goals.”
Global later reported that a Facebook profile that appears to be the youth’s father had posted derogatory comments about Israelis. The father has not responded to subsequent requests for comment.