TORONTO: The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have reported the arrest of a minor in Ontario on terrorism charges linked to the Islamic State (ISIS). The arrest took place on November 4th, but the RCMP officially announced the action on Tuesday.
The RCMP disclosed that the young individual faces two counts of terrorism-related offenses. According to the RCMP statement, the youth was allegedly editing and posting ISIS propaganda videos online. The investigation was a collaborative effort involving multiple agencies, including the RCMP, the New York Police Department, Peel Police, Toronto Police Service, and the Ontario Provincial Police.
The arrest comes amidst growing concern over the radicalization of youth in Canada. The Director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service noted that there is an increasing number of young individuals engaging in terrorist activities. Investigators highlighted that extremist groups are exploiting gaming platforms to attract, communicate with, and radicalize youth. This is the second high-profile arrest in recent months, following the detention of a Montreal man in August who had planned an ISIS-inspired attack.
