Teen accused of plotting to bomb pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill denied bail
A 16-year-old boy, along with another teen, was denied bail after being accused of plotting to attack Jewish people in Ottawa last fall. The plan allegedly involved detonating an explosive device at a pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill. The decision was made following a lengthy five-day hearing in Ottawa’s Superior Court. Justice Anne London-Weinstein’s reasons for denying bail cannot be published due to a routine publication ban.
A variety of stakeholders in the prosecution, including RCMP, Ottawa police, and Public Prosecution Service of Canada employees, were present in court to hear the decision. The boy’s parents attended each day of the hearing but were not present for the final decision. The boy, who appeared virtually from his juvenile detention center, was not feeling well and wore a black sweatshirt and sweatpants during the hearing.
The boy was arrested at the age of 15 last December by the RCMP-led team of law enforcement and intelligence partners known as INSET. Another 15-year-old boy was later arrested and charged as a co-conspirator in the plot. The two teens are jointly accused of conspiring to commit murder for a terrorist group and facilitating terrorist activity by distributing instructional material and propaganda.
The first boy is facing additional charges, including facilitating terrorist activity by communicating instructional material about an explosive substance, instructing someone to carry out a terrorist activity against Jewish people, and possessing explosive substances with the intent to endanger life. The second boy is charged with attempting to acquire a firearm to facilitate terrorist activity.
The trial for both teens is scheduled to begin in the spring of 2026 and is set to last 10 weeks. The target of the alleged anti-Jewish terror plot was not outlined in the criminal charges but was revealed in documents filed in Federal Court by the Department of Justice. The boys are alleged to have planned to attack Jewish individuals in Ottawa, potentially through the detonation of an explosive device at a pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill.
Currently, the Justice Department is seeking to withhold information in the criminal case that could potentially harm international relations, national defense, or national security. The identities and contact information of federal intelligence staff are among the sensitive information being protected. The application made under Section 38 of the Canada Evidence Act states that there are 66 documents containing potentially injurious information in the case against the teens.
