The Foiled ISIS Terrorist Plot That Is Shaking Canada

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Canadian authorities raided a hotel room in Toronto and arrested a father and a son who were allegedly plotting to carry out a terrorist attack in the city.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said they stopped a planned terrorist attack in the city of Toronto after they arrested 62-year-old Ahmed Eldidi and his son, 26-year-old Mostafa Eldidi, at a hotel in Richmond Hill, Ontario, on July 28th. The two men were apprehended after a month-long investigation that involved multiple police agencies.

However, while the authorities only became aware of the alleged terrorist plot in July, they did not provide information on what led to the investigation since the exact nature of the threat is banned from publication. However, Canadian police described the investigation as "fast-moving" and said they are still working on determining the exact target.

The pair are accused of planning a "violent, serious attack" on Canada’s largest city, and they face a total of nine charges, including one count each of conspiracy to commit murder and terrorism for the benefit of or at the direction of a terrorist group, namely the Islamic State. 

The father and son duo also allegedly went as far as to record a video showing them brandishing their weapons in front of an ISIS flag while explaining their intended actions. Court documents also show that Ahmed faces an additional charge of aggravated assault dating back to 2015 outside Canada. The charges stem from a video released by the Islamic State that year allegedly showing a man dismembering a prisoner with a sword.

The RCMP’s assistant commissioner, Matt Peggs, said the men were in their “advanced stages” of planning the attack. While police initially suspected that Ahmed and Mostafa were Canadian citizens, it was later determined that the son doesn’t hold Canadian citizenship, while the father immigrated to Canada shortly after the execution video was released. 

Peggs also said that the authorities "take all threats to our national security very seriously,” adding that the plot “was an imminent threat, and we were able to prevent serious injuries or loss of life.”

Police do not believe there is any further risk to the public.

RCMP Supt. James Parr said that aside from charges of conspiracy to commit murder and terrorism, the pair also faces weapons charges for possessing an axe and a machete, which Parr said they had with them at the hotel when they were arrested.

"As you know, they were charged with having particular weapons. In other words, we're pretty confident how close they were to moving from simply having those tools and then moving on to actioning that threat," Parr said when he was asked what kind of attack Ahmed and Mostafa were allegedly planning. 

Ahmed and Mostafa appeared in virtual court sessions in Newmarket, Ontario, on August 1st, wearing standard-issue orange jumpsuits. But when asked during the proceedings if he had anything to say, Mostafa Eldidi maintained his innocence.

"I just want to say that all these charges against me, I did not do any of it," Mostafa said through a translator.

During his appearance later in the day, Ahmed echoed his son’s statements, insisting that his son is innocent.

“My son Mostafa doesn't have any guilt in this matter," Ahmed said, also through an interpreter.

The court heard on August 1st that the Crown is contesting bail for both men. The justice of the peace presiding over the proceedings told Ahmed that he would be facing a "reverse onus" bail hearing.

Ahmed will face a “reverse onus” bail hearing because of the increased severity of the charges levied against him. The onus is on the accused to demonstrate why he should be released on bail instead of on the Crown to explain why he should be kept in custody. 

The court also imposed a non-communication order on Ahmed and Mostafa, meaning they cannot contact each other except through lawyers to mount their defenses.

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