Canada arrests four accused of forming anti-gov't militia
July 9 (UPI) -- Canadian authorities have arrested four men, including active military members, on accusations of forming an anti-government militia that sought to seize land in Quebec City.
No information about motive or ideology was released by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police when it announced the arrests in a statement Tuesday.
Three of the suspects -- Marc-Aurele Chabot, 24, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, and Raphael Lagace -- are accused of taking "concerte actions to facilitate terrorist activity," a charge punishable with up to 14 years in prison.
According to the RCMP, Chabot, Angers-Audet and Lagace have been accused of planning to create an anti-government militia, for which they participated in military-style training, including shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises, involving firearms, some of which are banned.
A fourth suspect, Matthew Forbes, 33, faces a slew of charges, including possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives and related offenses.
All four men are from the province of Quebec.
The arrests follow searches conducted in Quebec City in January 2024 that uncovered 16 explosive devices, 11,000 rounds of ammunition, nearly 130 magazines and 83 firearms and accessories. Four pairs of night vision goggles and other military equipment were also seized.
Images released by the RCMP include a screenshot of an Instagram account that Canadian authorities said one of the suspect's alleged used to recruit new members. Other released photos included several displaying the large cache of firearms seized and one of the men in tactical gear appearing to be undergoing training.
The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed in a statement that two active military members were among the four arrested and charged.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Camille Habel told CBC News that their investigation into the men dates back to the spring of 2023, but that the militant group dates back to at least 2021.
Without going into specifics concerning what the group's intention was with the Quebec City land they intended to seize, Habel said, "in that ideology in general, quite often we would see a desire to create a new society, a desire to live by different values and wanting to change or create some kind of chaos so that they could take over society to created it and live it the way that they want."
She added that they know more than just the four people arrested are interested in this unspecified ideology, which, she said, "is an issue in Canada right now."
"It is not a case that will fix the problem," she said. "It is really a societal problem."
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