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Crown withdraws terrorism allegations against Yemeni man arrested in Toronto area
Crown withdraws terrorism allegations against Yemeni man arrested in Toronto area

Global News

time4 days ago

  • Global News

Crown withdraws terrorism allegations against Yemeni man arrested in Toronto area

Federal prosecutors have withdrawn terrorism allegations against a Yemeni man arrested in the Toronto area three months ago. The case against Husam Taha Ali Al-Sewaiee was dropped at a court appearance on Thursday, his lawyer said in a statement. The move came after the RCMP received new information that satisfied initial fears about the 33-year-old. He still faces a threatening charge. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Al-Sewaiee was initially arrested in Mississauga, Ont., on April 15 for uttering threats. Four days later, he was arrested again. This time, the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team alleged he had attempted to leave Canada to join a terrorist organization. He was not charged with terrorism. Instead, prosecutors asked the court for a terrorism peace bond that would restrict his movements in the name of public safety. Story continues below advertisement 'Mr. Al-Sewaiee has always maintained this peace bond application was baseless and the allegations against him were entirely without merit,' his lawyer Rebecca Amoah said. 'Mr. Al-Sewaiee has been wrongly prosecuted, arrested, and detained. He has spent almost two months in custody, without being charged with any related criminal offence, pending the determination of a baseless peace bond application that the Crown has now withdrawn.'

Not just a few bad apples: The Canadian Armed Forces has a nagging far-right problem
Not just a few bad apples: The Canadian Armed Forces has a nagging far-right problem

Canada Standard

time13-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Canada Standard

Not just a few bad apples: The Canadian Armed Forces has a nagging far-right problem

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is making headlines. But not, as they probably hoped, for the renewed recruiting efforts they're about to launch. Instead, they are once again confounded by a far-right scandal. The latest episode is the arrest of four CAF members and ex-members. Three of them have been charged with taking concrete steps to facilitate terrorist activity and possessing prohibited firearms. A fourth man was charged with possession and storage of prohibited firearms and devices. The crew had allegedly been under surveillance by the federal government's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team since 2021, most likely when equipment, weapons and ammunition began to go missing from military installations. The weapons were finally seized in January 2024, some in the personal vehicle of one of the suspects, but the group remained free for another 18 months. Read more: Charges against Canadian Army members in anti-government terror plot raise alarms about right-wing extremism As is usual with these types of efforts, a certain degree of amateurism was present at multiple stages of the alleged scheme, which may have developed on the fly. The idea that a micro-militia might successfully seize and hold territory in Canada is far-fetched at best. Recruitment efforts for the suspected mission, complete with propaganda and self-aggrandizing pictures of military training, took place on, you guessed it: Instagram. (We won't publish the name of the account.) It might be pointed out that any large organization like the CAF inevitably represents a microcosm of society, meaning that it can't be expected to be free of various forms of undesirable behaviour, including political extremism. But this "rotten apple" theory of far-right extremism in the CAF falls somewhat short of explaining the situation. First, the rotten apples seem too numerous. Just days before the recent arrests, the CAF announced on July 3 it was investigating the participation of other soldiers in a private Facebook page named the "Blue Hackle Mafia." The page disseminated openly racist, homophobic, misogynist and antisemitic content. These events point to a phenomenon difficult to measure within western countries, even though it's very real. The penetration of ideas associated with the far right within the military and law enforcement agencies is currently happening. Whether more or less structured, the emergence of underground small groups are more or less ready to "take action." Second, previous reports have identified a general laissez-faire approach within the CAF regarding far-right activities. In a 2022 independent report commissioned by the CAF, the presence of white supremacist and other far-right ideologies was identified not only as a growing problem for the Army, but also one that was not being addressed. Similar conclusions were reached in the 1997 report on the behaviour of Canadian soldiers in Somalia, which had explicitly recommended that "the Canadian Forces establish regular liaison with anti-racist groups to obtain assistance in the conduct of appropriate cultural sensitivity training and to assist supervisors and commanders in identifying signs of racism and involvement with hate groups." In other words, neither the concern nor the awareness is news. At the root of the problem is a peculiar affinity between most forms of far-right ideologies and military or paramilitary/policing organizations. It's absurd to simply paint such organizations as inherently far right in their nature, of course. But strict authority structures and notions of defence, fellowship, honour - as well as the projection of power through physical strength and training and the accompanying symbolism of weapons, fatigues, uniforms and campaign-like deployments - are all very appealing to far-right extremists. This nexus has been amply documented and leads to multiple practical implications: extremist groups trying to recruit active or retired soldiers; soldiers joining existing groups or setting up their own; veterans joining existing groups or creating their own, like the founders of Quebec's La Meute; professionally trained lone wolves, like Correy Hurren, who attempted to "arrest" Prime minister Justin Trudeau at Rideau Hall in 2020) Members of extremist groups also routinely try to join the military to benefit from training, which elevates their standing within the group. Military, former and active, and law enforcement members are to be found in multiple "militia" groups like the Three Percenters, the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, Diagolon and the Boogaloo movement, for instance. Some are overtly anti-government and/or anti-system, like the Veterans 4 Freedom or The Base. It may sound strange to think of military personnel or veterans getting involved or creating an anti-government movement when they've served under the flag sometimes for decades. The apparent paradox quickly disappears once we understand the manifold individual motivations that underpin their actions. They range from the feeling of having served a timourous government that failed to make proper use of the Armed Forces at its disposal. The absence of deployments to theatres of conflict also generates frustration among some in search of military adventure. A lot of young men are quickly bored with exercises that never satisfy their expeditionary spirit. The role of camaraderie, of group dynamics based on mutual aid, honour and the presence of danger, as well as mental health issues, must not be overlooked. Not to mention the idea, strong in some units, of defending a singular idea of a "fatherland" endangered by government contempt and inaction. What is striking in the light of the recent charges in Quebec is not so much the racist and anti-semitic ideological ideas allegedly held by the accused group members. It's the primacy given to a patriarchal ideology that explicitly targets women and gender. Fascination with Russia and the war in Ukraine waged by Vladimir Putin is also palpable. In short, the CAF is still wrestling with far-right demons, though in a new context of social media acceleration and global loss of confidence in democratic institutions. The situation has a high potential to undermine confidence in Canada's Armed Forces at a time when geopolitical tensions are calling for a strengthening of its military arsenal, and first and foremost, our military human capital.

Not just a few bad apples: The Canadian Armed Forces has a nagging far-right problem
Not just a few bad apples: The Canadian Armed Forces has a nagging far-right problem

Canada News.Net

time13-07-2025

  • Politics
  • Canada News.Net

Not just a few bad apples: The Canadian Armed Forces has a nagging far-right problem

The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is making headlines. But not, as they probably hoped, for the renewed recruiting efforts they're about to launch. Instead, they are once again confounded by a far-right scandal. The latest episode is the arrest of four CAF members and ex-members. Three of them have been charged with taking concrete steps to facilitate terrorist activity and possessing prohibited firearms. A fourth man was charged with possession and storage of prohibited firearms and devices. The crew had allegedly been under surveillance by the federal government's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team since 2021, most likely when equipment, weapons and ammunition began to go missing from military installations. The weapons were finally seized in January 2024, some in the personal vehicle of one of the suspects, but the group remained free for another 18 months. As is usual with these types of efforts, a certain degree of amateurism was present at multiple stages of the alleged scheme, which may have developed on the fly. The idea that a micro-militia might successfully seize and hold territory in Canada is far-fetched at best. Recruitment efforts for the suspected mission, complete with propaganda and self-aggrandizing pictures of military training, took place on, you guessed it: Instagram. (We won't publish the name of the account.) It might be pointed out that any large organization like the CAF inevitably represents a microcosm of society, meaning that it can't be expected to be free of various forms of undesirable behaviour, including political extremism. But this "rotten apple" theory of far-right extremism in the CAF falls somewhat short of explaining the situation. First, the rotten apples seem too numerous. Just days before the recent arrests, the CAF announced on July 3 it was investigating the participation of other soldiers in a private Facebook page named the "Blue Hackle Mafia." The page disseminated openly racist, homophobic, misogynist and antisemitic content. These events point to a phenomenon difficult to measure within western countries, even though it's very real. The penetration of ideas associated with the far right within the military and law enforcement agencies is currently happening. Whether more or less structured, the emergence of underground small groups are more or less ready to "take action." Second, previous reports have identified a general laissez-faire approach within the CAF regarding far-right activities. In a 2022 independent report commissioned by the CAF, the presence of white supremacist and other far-right ideologies was identified not only as a growing problem for the Army, but also one that was not being addressed. Similar conclusions were reached in the 1997 report on the behaviour of Canadian soldiers in Somalia, which had explicitly recommended that "the Canadian Forces establish regular liaison with anti-racist groups to obtain assistance in the conduct of appropriate cultural sensitivity training and to assist supervisors and commanders in identifying signs of racism and involvement with hate groups." In other words, neither the concern nor the awareness is news. At the root of the problem is a peculiar affinity between most forms of far-right ideologies and military or paramilitary/policing organizations. It's absurd to simply paint such organizations as inherently far right in their nature, of course. But strict authority structures and notions of defence, fellowship, honour - as well as the projection of power through physical strength and training and the accompanying symbolism of weapons, fatigues, uniforms and campaign-like deployments - are all very appealing to far-right extremists. This nexus has been amply documented and leads to multiple practical implications: extremist groups trying to recruit active or retired soldiers; soldiers joining existing groups or setting up their own; veterans joining existing groups or creating their own, like the founders of Quebec's La Meute; professionally trained lone wolves, like Correy Hurren, who attempted to "arrest" Prime minister Justin Trudeau at Rideau Hall in 2020) Members of extremist groups also routinely try to join the military to benefit from training, which elevates their standing within the group. Military, former and active, and law enforcement members are to be found in multiple "militia" groups like the Three Percenters, the Proud Boys, the Oath Keepers, Diagolon and the Boogaloo movement, for instance. Some are overtly anti-government and/or anti-system, like the Veterans 4 Freedom or The Base. It may sound strange to think of military personnel or veterans getting involved or creating an anti-government movement when they've served under the flag sometimes for decades. The apparent paradox quickly disappears once we understand the manifold individual motivations that underpin their actions. They range from the feeling of having served a timourous government that failed to make proper use of the Armed Forces at its disposal. The absence of deployments to theatres of conflict also generates frustration among some in search of military adventure. A lot of young men are quickly bored with exercises that never satisfy their expeditionary spirit. The role of camaraderie, of group dynamics based on mutual aid, honour and the presence of danger, as well as mental health issues, must not be overlooked. Not to mention the idea, strong in some units, of defending a singular idea of a "fatherland" endangered by government contempt and inaction. What is striking in the light of the recent charges in Quebec is not so much the racist and anti-semitic ideological ideas allegedly held by the accused group members. It's the primacy given to a patriarchal ideology that explicitly targets women and gender. Fascination with Russia and the war in Ukraine waged by Vladimir Putin is also palpable. In short, the CAF is still wrestling with far-right demons, though in a new context of social media acceleration and global loss of confidence in democratic institutions. The situation has a high potential to undermine confidence in Canada's Armed Forces at a time when geopolitical tensions are .

RCMP charge multiple men in ‘anti-government militia' plot in Quebec
RCMP charge multiple men in ‘anti-government militia' plot in Quebec

Global News

time08-07-2025

  • Global News

RCMP charge multiple men in ‘anti-government militia' plot in Quebec

The RCMP say they have charged three men with facilitating a terrorist activity in a plot to create an 'anti-government militia' in Quebec and a fourth with multiple explosives and firearms charges. Some of those charged are 'active members of the Canadian Armed Forces,' the RCMP said in a statement. According to authorities, all four men 'were allegedly involved in activities intending to forcibly take possession of land in the Québec City area' and describe the case as one of 'ideologically motivated violent extremism.' The Integrated National Security Enforcement Team says three of the men, all from Quebec, took concrete actions to facilitate terrorist activity and are each facing one charge of facilitating terrorist activity. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The three men took part in military-style training, police say, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises. They also allegedly conducted a scouting operation. Story continues below advertisement Police seized a variety of firearms, including some that are prohibited, as well as high-capacity magazines and tactical equipment allegedly used in these activities, according to an RCMP press release. According to the RCMP, the individuals charged are: Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, of Quebec City Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville Raphaël Lagacé, 25, of Quebec City A fourth man — identified by RCMP as Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge — faces charges including the possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives, and possession of controlled items. Other charges have also been laid for offences related to possession of prohibited devices, transfer of firearms and ammunition, careless storage of firearms, possession of explosives and possession of controlled items. The RCMP says it conducted searches in January 2024 in Quebec City that led to the seizure of 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms and accessories, approximately 11,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibres, nearly 130 magazines, four pairs of night vision goggles and military equipment. The four individuals will appear at the Quebec City courthouse Tuesday.

Edmonton youth, 15, arrested by Alberta INSET for terrorism-related offence
Edmonton youth, 15, arrested by Alberta INSET for terrorism-related offence

Yahoo

time29-05-2025

  • General
  • Yahoo

Edmonton youth, 15, arrested by Alberta INSET for terrorism-related offence

A 15-year-old youth from Edmonton was arrested by the RCMP's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) May 12 for a terrorism offence after an investigation linked to a violent online network that targets vulnerable children, say RCMP. The youth has been remanded into custody 'by way of a terrorism peace bond pursuant to section 810.011 of the Criminal Code – fear of terrorism offence,' said a Thursday RCMP news release from RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region. Investigators 'fear the youth will commit terrorism offences related to the COM/764 violent online network,' said the release. RCMP say the 764 network is a transnational online ecosystem of violent online predators who continuously lure youth, particularly targeting youths in vulnerable sectors and encourage them to commit sexual acts, self-harm and torture of animals. The network is known to have extreme ideological views and victimize children by radicalizing and desensitizing them to various forms of violence. RCMP said with networks like 764, which target vulnerable youth online, education is their first line of defence in hopes that young people will recognize the signs of manipulation and extremism, and make the internet a safer place. The youth is scheduled to appear for a bail hearing in Edmonton on June 3. This is the second set of terrorism charges by INSET in Edmonton over the last 15 months. In March, 2024, terrorism charges were laid in the case of an Edmonton security guard accused of firing a rifle and lobbing firebombs inside city hall two months prior. INSET charged the accused, Bezhani Sarvar with 11 offences including counselling commission of terrorism offence and possession of property for terrorist purposes, while Edmonton police charged Sarvar with six offences. INSET teams were created to track and prevent criminal activities of terrorist groups or individuals who pose a threat to Canada's national security, according to Public Safety Canada. INSET in Alberta includes employees of the RCMP, Edmonton Police Service, Calgary Police Service, Canada Border Services Agency, and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Terrorism charges laid against accused Edmonton city hall attacker: RCMP Edmonton city hall building gets $300K security upgrades after January shooting

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