Youth Convicted on 2 Terror Counts Over Suspected Plot to Kill Jewish People

The Superior Court of Justice in Windsor, Ont., is pictured on Nov. 16, 2023. The Canadian Press/Dax Melmer

A youth has been found guilty of terrorism-related offences connected to an alleged 2023 plot targeting Jewish people in the country’s capital.

Ontario Superior Court Justice Kerry McVey found the male youth guilty of two out of three charges in an Ottawa courtroom on Oct. 16.

McVey said the young person was guilty of conspiracy to commit murder through involvement with a terrorist group and of facilitating terrorist activity by seeking to acquire a prohibited firearm. He was found not guilty of facilitating terrorist activity by making instructional material and propaganda available.

The youth had entered not guilty pleas to all three charges. He cannot be named under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The trial got underway in April, just one day after his co-defendant was convicted on four different charges.

McVey determined the youth found guilty this week conspired with his co-accused—also a young person whose identity is legally protected—in a scheme aimed at causing mass casualties. A third party was also thought to be involved but was not charged.

The 2023 incident involved a plot to detonate an explosive device at a pro-Israel rally on Parliament Hill, according to court documents. Court proceedings revealed the Ottawa teens were inspired by the Islamic State terrorist group.

“The planned attack was intended to intimidate a segment of the public, namely members of the Jewish community, with respect to their security,” McVey said.

She said exchanges between the participants revealed extensive conversations about the scale of the planned violence, the weapons needed to execute it, the amount of ammunition required, and the potential deployment of explosive devices.

“Their shared objective was the mass killing of innocent people,” the judge added.

The RCMP and the Integrated National Enforcement Team (INSET) arrested the two youths nearly three years ago. The first youth to stand trial was arrested in December 2023 and the youth found guilty this week was arrested in February 2024. Both were 15 at the time.  

The law enforcement officials said they discovered components associated with homemade explosives, including acetone, an oxidizer, and metal ball bearings, alongside instructional material and propaganda during the investigation.

A sentencing date has yet to be announced for the second youth, but Crown prosecutors have said they intend to seek an adult sentence for him.

The court is expected to establish a schedule for sentencing arguments and pre-sentence reports in the near future.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.