Federal Government Investigates How Toronto Terror Suspects Entered Canada
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc has announced that federal departments are currently reviewing how two men with suspected ties to a terrorist group were allowed to enter Canada.
Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, 62, and his son, Mostafa Eldidi, 26, were arrested last week in Richmond Hill, Ontario, facing nine terrorism-related charges, including conspiracy to commit murder on behalf of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
The RCMP disclosed the charges last week, stating that the two men were in the “advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto.” While most of the charges relate to activities allegedly carried out in Canada, Ahmed Eldidi also faces a charge of aggravated assault abroad.
Minister LeBlanc said that the Public Safety and Immigration Departments, which jointly oversee the screening of immigrants, are working to establish a detailed timeline concerning the accused men.
“In situations like this, it’s standard procedure for the Department of Immigration and the Public Safety Department to review all circumstances, particularly the chronology of when certain information became available,” LeBlanc stated.
The RCMP confirmed that Ahmed Eldidi is a Canadian citizen, while his son is not. Authorities are still awaiting confirmation on Mostafa Eldidi’s immigration status.
Meanwhile, Conservative leaders are demanding transparency from the federal government regarding how Ahmed Eldidi was allowed to immigrate to Canada, arguing that any potential links to terrorism should have been identified earlier.
“Canadians deserve to know what went wrong. How did this individual gain entry into Canada and obtain citizenship? We also need to know if there are others with similar backgrounds who have been granted entry,” Conservative House Leader Andrew Scheer said in a press conference on Tuesday.
LeBlanc assured the public that more information will be shared about the timeline of events but cautioned against releasing details that could compromise the ongoing criminal investigation and the prosecution’s case.
On Tuesday, Conservative MPs called for the House of Commons’ public safety committee to reconvene to investigate the matter, urging the Bloc Quebecois and NDP to support the motion. NDP MP Alistair MacGregor echoed this call on Wednesday, sending a letter to the committee chair requesting a meeting to address the “serious questions” surrounding how Ahmed Eldidi was able to enter Canada, obtain citizenship, and avoid detection for so many years.
