Former Osama bin Laden associate accused of making death threats in Montreal to undergo psychiatric evaluation

CTV News

06-06-2025

CTV's Kamil Karamali reports on a Montreal arrest of a Canadian man linked to Osama Bin Laden, accused of plotting mass killings.
CTV's Kamil Karamali reports on a Montreal arrest of a Canadian man linked to Osama Bin Laden, accused of plotting mass killings.
Canadian man with ties to Osama Bin Laden arrested in Montreal for planned mass attack
A man convicted of supporting al-Qaeda in the early 2000s will undergo a psychiatric evaluation after he was arrested this week in Montreal for allegedly threatening to commit a mass killing.
The RCMP arrested Mohammed Abdullah Warsame, 51, on Wednesday after he allegedly told an employee at a local homeless shelter on May 26 that he wanted to 'commit an attack with the goal of killing a large number of people.' He has been charged with uttering death threats under the Criminal Code.
After a court appearance on Friday, a judge ordered Warsame, who is homeless, to be assessed at the Philippe-Pinel psychiatric hospital in Montreal for 30 days in order to determine if he was mentally competent at the time of the alleged offence. Warsame nodded when asked if he understood the judge's decision.
Mohammed Abdullah Warsame
Mohammed Abdullah Warsame's booking photo taken by U.S. Marshals in 2003. (Source: Former FBI Special Agent Harry Samit/LinkedIn)
The Crown prosecutor could not say whether or not the accused will face additional charges.
Warsame pleaded guilty in 2009 in federal court in Minneapolis to one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to the terrorist group al-Qaeda. According to the plea agreement, Warsame provided forms of support, including training and currency, to al-Qaeda between 2000 and 2003.
In 2000, he travelled to the al Faruq training camp, 'where he received training and met Osama bin Laden. Warsame subsequently worked at an al-Qaeda guesthouse and clinic,' according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
U.S. officials said Warsame described Bin Laden as 'very inspirational' and was trained to use weapons, such as AK-47 rifles.
After serving his sentence in prison in the U.S., Warsame, a Canadian citizen of Somali descent, was deported back to Canada in 2010.
- With files from CTV Montreal's Stéphane Giroux
This is a developing story that will be updated.