Three Ottawa men arrested on terrorism-related charges this week were inspired by ISIS, CTV News has learned.
The three men -- Suliman Mohamed, 21, and twin brothers Ashton and Carlos Larmond, 24 -- might have been plotting attacks in Canada, sources told CTV News.
Mohamed, the most recently arrested, was swooped up by Mounties in Ottawa Monday and charged with offences related to participation in the activity of a terror group, according to an RCMP press release. He is also charged with conspiracy to participate in a terrorist activity for his connection to the Larmond brothers, who were arrested and charged on Friday.
Sources told CTV News that one or more of the group were on the RCMP watch list that includes 93 terror suspects. That list was revealed after the attacks in Ottawa last October.
CTV News has also been told the RCMP will be making more terror arrests. Sources say there are a lot of homegrown terror suspects willing to go overseas to fight.
Carlos Larmond, who was arrested in Montreal at the Pierre Elliot Trudeau Airport, has been charged with attempting to leave Canada to participate in terrorist activity abroad, and participating in the activity of a terrorist group.
He was about to get on a plane to Delhi, India when he was arrested, although it’s not clear if that was his final destination. Sources told CTV News that he was ticketed to transit through Frankfurt, where authorities suspect he would have redirected to Turkey and eventually Syria.
Ashton Larmond was arrested in Ottawa, and charged with facilitating terrorist activity, participation in the activity of a terrorist group and instructing to carry out activity for a terrorist group.
All three men lived in Vanier-Overbrook, a working-class neighbourhood in Ottawa. They were radicalized after crossing paths with what one source called "bad people" -- some already in prison for terror offences.
The arrests had neighbours concerned Monday.
"I never met them, but it makes me super uncomfortable knowing that they were just down the street from me. That's scary," said Kirstyn McFarlane.
The twins were raised by their grandmother in their Ottawa home and were active in Ottawa high school sports. They converted to Islam in recent years and at least one attended the Assalaam Mosque in Ottawa. Beyond that, not much else is known.
Abdulhakim Moalimishak, president of Ottawa Islamic Centre and Assalaam Mosque, had questions Monday.
"We want to know who's behind this. We want to know how it is that these people are becoming caught in this web," said Moalimishak.
RCMP Chief Superintendent Jennifer Strachan said in a statement that the recent arrests highlight the reality that there individuals in Ontario and Canada who have become radicalized to a "violent ideology" and are willing to act upon it.
“Thanks to the ongoing collaborative efforts of our INSET partners, we are in a better position to target these threats and protect the Canadian public,” read the statement.
INSET is the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.
Ottawa Chief of Police Charles Bordeleau said Monday that his police force worked closely with the RCMP and OPP in the investigations that led to the three arrests.
“I think our community is safer as a result of these arrests, and we will continue to work with the RCMP who has the overall mandate around terrorism to support them in the work that they do that impacts here locally,” said Bordeleau.
A lawyer for the Larmond brothers, both 24, said over the weekend that his clients intend to “vigorously defend” themselves against the allegations.
"They carry possibility of life in prison," lawyer Joseph Addelman told reporters in Ottawa on Saturday after his clients made their first court appearance.
"Obviously they’re very serious allegations that the public is going to be concerned about, the justice system is going to be concerned about."
The twins’ next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 12. They will remain in custody until that time.
It was not immediately clear when Mohamed would appear in court.
The arrests come after ISIS, over the weekend, released another ISIS video emerged online calling for attacks in Canada. The RCMP has said it is taking the threat seriously.
