The Royal Canada Gendarmerie (RCMP) announced that it had arrested a Montreal teenager on Wednesday who would have lent allegiance to the armed group Islamic State and planned a terrorist attack.
The young man, who had been under surveillance for some time by the police, was arrested without incident in the Côte-des-Neiges district, around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
“We know that he had lent allegiance to the Islamic State,” said Corporal Erique Gasse, spokesperson for the RCMP.
“He intended to get weapons. We are talking about long AK-47 weapons, for an attack. He wanted to commit at least one attack in the name of the Islamic State. We know that he was working on it, “says corporal Gasse, who speaks in particular of” disturbing words “made by the young on social networks.
The young man must appear in the youth court on Thursday. He faces accusations of facilitating a terrorist activity, participation in an activity of a terrorist group and providing or making goods or services available for terrorist purposes.
As he is a minor, the accused cannot be identified publicly under the law.
The investigation was initiated last April following a report received public at the Provincial Coordination Center of the Menace managed by the GRC. The police force took the opportunity to invite the public to report threatening remarks to the authorities when they witnessed it. “If you see or hear something, don’t hesitate,” said Erique Gasse.
