Toronto-area teen arrested over alleged plan to travel to join ISIS
A Toronto-area teenager has recently been apprehended on suspicion of planning to travel abroad to join ISIS, as reported by CBC News. Court records reveal that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) filed for a terrorism peace bond last month in the case involving an 18-year-old individual from Newmarket, Ontario. Due to the individual’s age, their identity cannot be disclosed.
Nathalie Houle, a spokesperson for the Public Prosecution Service of Canada, mentioned that while the accused is now considered an adult, many of the alleged incidents occurred when they were a minor. The RCMP obtained the attorney general’s consent on December 19 to proceed with proceedings related to terrorism-related offenses, although no specific details regarding the allegations or the accused have been disclosed by investigators.
According to court documents obtained on Thursday, the Mounties sought a peace bond against the teenager on December 18, citing concerns that the individual may be planning to depart Canada to engage in activities associated with the terrorist group ISIS. The teenager was granted bail last month and is set to appear in court on January 15. The RCMP stated that the individual is subject to strict court conditions while awaiting the outcome of the peace bond application.
In light of the recent truck attack in New Orleans, perpetrated by a U.S.-born ISIS supporter, the activities of ISIS have once again garnered attention. The self-proclaimed Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has been linked to various acts of terrorism worldwide.
In 2024, the RCMP conducted two notable operations targeting individuals in Ontario suspected of planning ISIS-inspired mass killings. Father and son Ahmed and Mostafa Eldidi were apprehended near Toronto in July on charges related to an alleged violent scheme involving weapons such as an axe and a machete. Ahmed Eldidi now faces additional war crimes charges after allegedly being captured dismembering a man in a 2015 ISIS propaganda video filmed in Iraq.
Additionally, Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, a Pakistani national residing in Mississauga, Ontario, was arrested in September near the U.S. border in Quebec. U.S. authorities accused Khan of planning to carry out an ISIS-inspired mass shooting at a Jewish center in New York City.
The incidents underscore the ongoing threat posed by individuals radicalized by extremist ideologies and the importance of vigilance in combating terrorism. The authorities continue to diligently investigate and address such cases to safeguard national security and public safety.
