Twelve men and five youths, arrested overnight, face charges for plotting al Qaeda-inspired "terrorist attacks" on several locations in Ontario, Canada's economic hub, officials said on Saturday.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and other government security agencies "after a lengthy investigation" arrested individuals on Friday "who were planning to commit a series of terrorist attacks against solely Canadian targets in southern Ontario," RCMP assistant commissioner Mike McDonnell said at a press conference in Toronto.
The group is alleged to have acquired three tons ammonium nitrate, a common fertiliser ingredient, and "components necessary to create explosive devices," he said.
"It was their intent to use it for a terrorist attack," McDonnell said, but police prevented them from assembling any bombs. Luc Portelance, assistant director operations for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Canada's spy agency identified the accused as "Canadian residents of different origins" who seemed to have "chosen a violent ideology inspired by al Qaeda." But, the group had no formal links to al Qaeda, he added.
Another official said they were mostly Canadians from a "broad street of our society" including students, some employed, some not. "Anyone that has the ability to turn people against their fellow citizens is obviously something CSIS is very concerned about," Portelance said. The arrests demonstrated that Canada is "not immune from this ideology," he said.
The 17 accused have been charged with participating in a terrorist group's activities, training and recruitment for the group, several firearms and explosives offences, and contributing money or property for terrorist purposes.