Teen placed on terrorism peace bond, ordered to stay away from LGBTQ events, synagogues

CBC
·2 min read
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On the same day police announced a fourth arrest connected to the same terrorism investigation, a 17-year-old was placed on a terrorism peace bond. He is ordered to stay away from LGBTQ events, Synagogues, social media and must participate in an intervention plan that addresses ideological extremism. (CBC - image credit)
On the same day police announced a fourth arrest connected to the same terrorism investigation, a 17-year-old was placed on a terrorism peace bond. He is ordered to stay away from LGBTQ events, Synagogues, social media and must participate in an intervention plan that addresses ideological extremism. (CBC - image credit)

RCMP and Calgary police have arrested a fourth person in connection with an ongoing terrorism investigation connected to social media posts.

News of the fresh arrest comes on the same day that a 17-year-old, arrested earlier this year in the same investigation, was placed on a terrorism peace bond and ordered to stay away from social media, LGBTQ events and synagogues.

Since June, a 20-year-old and three teens — ages 15, 16 and 17 — have been arrested as part of a national security investigation.

Police and prosecutors confirm the 16-year-old was taken into police custody and released on Wednesday.

The identities of the teens are protected under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Teen must stay away from LGBTQ events, synagogues

He is now under strict conditions for the next year, including that he stay off social media and participate in an intervention plan that addresses ideological extremism. Other conditions include that the teen not attend any LGBTQ events or any synagogue.

Earlier this week, Justice John Shaw heard that the boy poses a "moderate" risk to the community and is a high risk of joining an extremist group.

The report also found the teen has "a pathological fixation with Islamic extremist ideology, violence and weapons."

Justice Shaw voiced concern, urging defence lawyer Vignesh Pillai to hammer home the consequences of failing to comply with the conditions, which "could very well result in him actually seeing the inside of a jail cell."

The Snapchat group

The teen, along with more than a dozen others, was in a Snapchat group with a title that translates to "Islamic State Soldiers of Allah."

The participants shared photos and videos related to ISIS recruiting, propaganda videos, suicide bombers and videos with men being thrown off buildings to their deaths.

Prosecutor Kent Brown is seeking judges' orders for all three teens that would place them on peace bonds.

Last week, Zakarya Hussein, 20, pleaded guilty to facilitating terrorist activity.

Hussein admitted that over a three-month period, he posted concerning videos, photos, messages and instructions on how to make explosive devices to various messaging and social media accounts, such as Telegram, TikTok and Snapchat, court heard.

One of his targets was Calgary's LGBTQ community, according to facts read aloud in court last Friday.

Hussein's Google history included searches for "Gay pride month," "pride month Calgary" and "the killing of gay persons."

He also searched "suicide attacks" and posted videos that "contained extremist ideological interpretations that encouraged killing gay men."

Hussein will be sentenced in the new year.

The two other teens will be back in court in January.