The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) disclosed the apprehension of a juvenile in Montreal linked to terrorism accusations. According to an RCMP statement released on Friday, the information indicates that the “young man” was scheming an attack aimed at a school in the city.
Allegedly, he utilized artificial intelligence in planning the potential attack and circulated threatening messages on the platform Telegram, targeting several groups such as Muslims, Haitians, and the 2SLGBTQ+ communities, as per RCMP spokesperson Sgt. Érique Gasse. Gasse mentioned, “It’s tips we received from the FBI a couple of weeks ago indicating that this individual was preparing an attack.”
The individual was taken into custody at his residence on Friday morning as part of an investigation conducted by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, which comprises multi-agency units monitoring and disrupting criminal activities of terrorist entities or individuals posing threats to Canada’s national security.
Gasse stated that the individual is currently being interviewed by investigators, while other officials are searching his residence for electronic devices or other items pertinent to the investigation. The police operation aimed to thwart the individual’s suspected actions and obtain a peace bond for monitoring and de-escalation measures.
The youth is scheduled to appear in youth court on Saturday morning, although the RCMP’s news release indicates that potential charges could be laid at a later stage.