RCMP arrest 18-year-old man in connection with terrorism allegations

The RCMP arrested the suspect following information provided by the FBI.

Fearing that he is preparing to carry out terrorist acts, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested an 18-year-old man from the Montreal area Thursday morning.

It was intelligence shared last week by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that allowed RCMP investigators to arrest Mohamed Amine Assal, who lives in the x27;Saint-Laurent borough, Montreal.

According to RCMP Constable Charles Poirier, the individual was apprehended following a brief investigation by the Integrated National Security Team (INSET).

The federal police, who had reason to believe that Mohamed Amine Assal was preparing to commit terrorism offenses, decided to proceed earlier than planned with his arrest.

We could not wait to collect all the evidence, explained agent Poirier to Radio-Canada. We were still in the middle of an investigation, but the information that was given to the investigators worried them. That's why they asked for an arrest warrant to be issued.

“We can't take the chance to #x27;wait in terrorism cases. »

— Charles Poirier, RCMP officer in Montreal

Explaining that he cannot specify in detail, at this stage of the proceedings, the gestures that the suspect was about to commit, Constable Poirier explained that the purpose of the arrest was to disrupt the activities of this individual and thereby ensure public safety.

A A search is also underway at the suspect's residence in the Saint-Laurent borough.

The suspect is scheduled to appear at the Montreal courthouse by videoconference on Thursday afternoon.

The RCMP does not rule out the possibility of laying new charges against him at a later date as the work of the investigators and the analysis of the evidence continues.