Toronto residents Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, 62, and Mostafa Eldidi, 26, have been charged with multiple terrorism-related offenses following their arrest on July 28. The arrests took place in a hotel room in Richmond Hill, Ontario, after a comprehensive month-long investigation that involved multiple police agencies. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) formally announced the charges during a recent press conference.
The two face a total of nine charges, including conspiracy to murder for the benefit of or at the direction of the terrorist organization ISIS. Specific details regarding the planned attack remain under a publication ban imposed by the court, although RCMP Superintendent James Parr has assured the public that there is no ongoing threat.
In addition to the terrorism charges, they are also charged with weapons offenses related to their possession of an axe and a machete at the time of their arrest. According to Superintendent Parr, these weapons suggest that the individuals were in an advanced stage of planning their alleged attack. The duo resides at the same address in Scarborough, a suburb of Toronto. Both men hold Canadian citizenship, and there is no information regarding any additional citizenship they may possess.
Before the investigation that commenced in early July, neither individual was known to law enforcement authorities. The RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, along with contributions from civilian and public service members, was instrumental in connecting the evidence to a separate 2015 aggravated assault charge against Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, which allegedly occurred outside Canada and was purportedly committed for the benefit of ISIS.
The two are currently being held in custody, and their next court appearance is scheduled to occur shortly. ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, was responsible for widespread violence and terror at its peak in 2014 and 2015, establishing a significant territorial caliphate in Iraq and Syria. Despite the dismantling of its caliphate through a sustained military campaign led by a U.S.-led coalition, ISIS continues to pose a threat to global security, with its influence extending beyond its former territories.
