Father and son facing terror charges were planning ‘serious violent attack in Toronto’: RCMP

RCMP say a father and son who were arrested in Richmond Hill on terrorism charges last week were “in the advanced stages of planning a serious violent attack in Toronto.”

At a news conference Wednesday morning, RCMP officials said an Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) became aware of the threat in early July.

“On July, 28 2024 GTA INSET arrested a father and son at a hotel in Richmond Hill who were in the advanced stages of planning a serious violent attack in Toronto,” Assistant Commissioner Matt Peggs, Commanding Officer for Ontario told reporters.

RCMP moved in to arrest the pair at a hotel room they were renting in Richmond Hill that night after the men allegedly acquired an axe and a machete.

Officials said the arrests were effected “in a textbook fashion” without any excess damage “beyond what you’d expect” and no injuries.

The two men, who are both Canadian citizens, are Toronto residents and it’s not clear why they were at the hotel in Richmond Hill.

Investigators are still working to determine who or what the men were allegedly plotting to attack.

Police said they were not aware of any other targets outside of Toronto.

“I want to emphasize there is no evidence to suggest that there is any remaining risk to the public,” Peggs said.

The two men are now facing six terror-related charges altogether.

Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi and Mostafa Eldidi appeared in court to face the charges July 29.

In court documents, prosecutors allege that sometime between July 1 and July 29, the two men knowingly facilitated a terrorist activity and were knowingly helping the Islamic State enhance its ability to carry out terrorist activity.

Specifically, the documents allege the two were conspiring to commit murder for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with the Islamic State.

That happened, RCMP allege, while the men were in Toronto, York Region and other parts of Ontario.

Prosecutors allege that around July 28, Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi bought an axe and that Mostafa Eldidi bought a machete for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with the Islamic State.

The documents do not say exactly what the two may have planned to do next.

Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi is also charged with committing an aggravated assault outside of Canada for the benefit of the Islamic State in June of 2015.