A father and son accused of having connections to ISIS have been arrested in Toronto for allegedly planning a terrorist attack on the city’s citizens.
The duo are being charged with several terrorism-related charges after the RCMP received consent from the Attorney General to commence proceedings. Other charges include conspiracy to commit murder and aggravated assault, with the latter only against the father.
Ahmed Eldidi, age 62, and Mostafa Eldidi, age 26, share the host of other charges. The two were allegedly in possession of an axe and machete when they were arrested.
Despite being under a section 517 publication ban, which prohibits the publication of any information, evidence, or otherwise in anticipation of a bail hearing, The RCMP and various other police partners held a press conference and revealed to the public what they were able to on Wednesday.
Assistant Commissioner Matt Peggs of the RCMP said that the two were arrested on July 28 at a hotel and were “in the advanced stages of planning a serious violent attack in Toronto.”
RCMP Superintendent James Parr confirmed that there is no ongoing threat to Toronto’s citizens.
“But as far as what or where that plan may have went, naturally, we don’t know how it could have grown, but we do know that it was real,” said Parr.
He added that because the threat was “apparent and forthcoming,” police forces felt that now was the time where they needed to intercede.
Both the father and the son are Canadian citizens. The RCMP was unaware of any dual citizenship. The RCMP believes they immigrated to Canada but were unsure of the date. The two are residents of Toronto.
Parr said that he couldn’t give an exact timeline but that the Eldidis were allegedly very close to executing their terrorist attack.
ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, has been listed as a terrorist entity by Canada since Aug. 2012.
While the pair were alleged to have links to ISIS, Parr said that he was not aware of the duo receiving any financial support or incentives from ISIS operatives to carry out the planned terrorist attack.
Despite ISIS being less common than they were a decade ago, Parr said that the terrorist group hasn’t fallen off the radar of the RCMP and remains a real concern.
The terrorist attack was prevented by the RCMP’s Federal Policing Greater Toronto Area Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, said Peggs. INSET consists of representatives from the RCMP, municipal, and provincial police forces, along with federal and provincial partners and agencies.
Parr confirmed that one of the accused was also accused of an attack outside of Canada. Global News said that this charge is related to Ahmed Eldidi appearing in a June 2015 ISIS video where he dismembered a prisoner with a sword.
Court is scheduled for Thursday at 9 am, and the Eldidis will appear virtually.
Despite the threat being neutralized, the investigation is ongoing.
