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Canadian law enforcement arrested on Friday three Toronto-area men accused of planning violent kidnappings targeting women and members of the Jewish community. Investigators say the case also involves terrorism-related activity.
Police identified the suspects as Waleed Khan, 26, Osman Azizov, 18, and Fahad Sadaat, 19. All three live in Toronto.
Authorities linked the arrests to two attempted abductions earlier this year that bystanders disrupted before anyone was harmed.
Two Attempted Abductions Foiled by Intervention
The first incident occurred in Toronto in May. Police said three men approached a woman and tried to force her into a vehicle. One suspect carried a handgun, while another had a knife. A passing driver intervened, causing the suspects to flee.
A second incident followed in June in Mississauga. Police reported that three men exited a vehicle armed with a handgun, a rifle, and a knife, then chased two women. Another motorist intervened, and the suspects again fled the scene.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw said investigators determined that the suspects targeted “women and members of the Jewish community.” He declined to release further details due to legal restrictions.
Weapons Seized and Terrorism Links Identified
Searches of the suspects’ homes uncovered firearms, ammunition, and high-capacity magazines. Investigators also recovered evidence pointing to a hate-based motive.
Police confirmed that the investigation revealed “links to terrorism.” A court-imposed publication ban now limits what additional information authorities can disclose.
The three suspects face a combined total of 79 charges. These include conspiracy to commit kidnapping and hostage-taking, weapons offenses, sexual assault, motor vehicle theft, and forgery.
Federal authorities said Khan also faces terrorism-related charges. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police cited alleged ties to ISIS, including conspiracy to commit murder on behalf of a terrorist organization.
Heightened Alarm After Recent Terror Attack
The arrests come as Jewish communities worldwide remain on edge following a deadly antisemitic terror attack in Sydney, Australia, last week. Authorities reported that the attackers carried ISIS flags in their vehicle.
Reacting to the Canadian case, Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), warned that complacency carried grave risks. “As we saw in Sydney, we are one intelligence failure away from a devastating loss of life,” Shack said. “A lack of urgency on the part of our leaders puts Canadians in danger.”
He urged authorities to confront extremist networks that radicalize individuals and enable mass violence inside Canada.
A Broader Pattern of ISIS-Linked Threats
The case follows several recent ISIS-related arrests in Canada. Last year, authorities detained a father and son who entered the country as asylum seekers and allegedly planned a mass-casualty attack in Toronto. In another case, police arrested a Pakistani national in Quebec for allegedly plotting an ISIS-inspired attack targeting Jews in New York City.
The cases reflect a sustained extremist threat against Jewish targets.
Take Action
CAM has launched Report It — a secure app to report antisemitic incidents anonymously and in real time. Don’t stay silent — download it today on the Apple Store or Google Play. See it. Report it. Stop it. Together, we can fight this hate.
