The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has apprehended a juvenile in Montreal over terrorism suspicions. According to an RCMP statement released on Friday, the RCMP revealed that the “young man” was allegedly planning an assault on a school in the city. The individual purportedly utilized artificial intelligence in the potential attack planning and posted menacing messages on the platform Telegram, targeting various groups such as Muslims, Haitians, and 2SLGBTQ+ communities, as detailed by RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Érique Gasse.
Gasse mentioned that the FBI had provided information a few weeks ago indicating that this individual was preparing for an attack. The arrest took place at the individual’s residence on Friday morning as part of an investigation by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, which focuses on monitoring and disrupting criminal activities of terrorist entities or individuals who pose a threat to Canada’s national security.
The suspect is currently being interviewed by investigators while other officers are searching his residence for electronic devices or potential evidence related to the investigation. The police operation aimed to disrupt the individual’s suspected activities and obtain a peace bond for monitoring and de-escalation measures, according to the official statement. Gasse confirmed that the individual is scheduled to appear in youth court on Saturday morning, with the possibility of facing charges at a later time.