Today the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) announced the arrest of two Canadian-born citizens, John Stuart Nuttall and Amanda Marie Korody, in a terror plot targeting a public gathering at the British Columbia Legislature in Victoria on Canada Day, July 1.
According to online court records, Nuttall and Korody appeared at the Surrey Provincial Court this morning. The two suspects face charges that include “conspiring to place an explosive in or against a place of public use, a government or public facility, with the intent to cause death or serious bodily injury, for the benefit of, at the direction or in association with a terrorist group,” according to an RCMP press release.
According to Canadian officials, the investigation into Nuttall and Korody began in February 2013 following a tip from the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS). Assistant Commissioner James Malizia said in a prepared statement that although Nuttall and Korody were “inspired by Al Qaeda ideology,” it was “a domestic threat, without international linkages.” Additionally, officials said that there was no evidence that Nuttall and Korody had support from or were acting at the direction of a specific terrorist group.
Both Nuttal and Korody had engaged in “self-radicaliz[ing] behavior,” according to authorities. In addition, the two “discussed a wide variety of targets and techniques” prior to their arrest. Assistant Commissioner Wayne Rideout said Nuttall and Korody’s “self-radicalized behaviour was intended to create maximum impact and harm to Canadian citizens at the BC Legislature on a National holiday. They took steps to educate themselves and produced explosive devices designed to cause injury and death.”
During today’s press conference, authorities showed photos of three pressure cookers, which Nuttal and Korody intended to use as improvised explosive devices. Photos released by the RCMP show that the pressure cookers had a variety of contents, including nuts, bolts, rusty nails, and washers.
Authorities stressed that the devices were “inert” and that they “were completely under our control.” The devices, authorities said, were “secured and seized” outside the BC Legislature.
When questioned during the press conference, RCMP officials said there is currently no evidence to suggest that the plot is linked to the Boston Marathon bombings, which also involved pressure cooker devices.
Today’s announcement comes just over two months after authorities in Canada announced the arrests of Chiheb Esseghaier and Raed Jasser. The two, according to Canadian officials, had plotted to destroy a passenger train as it traveled between the United States and Canada. Esseghaier and Jasser had received “support from al Qaeda elements located in Iran” in the form of “direction and guidance,” said RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia. And May 9, US authorities announced the arrest of Tunisian national Ahmed Abassi for links to the train terror plot.
Read more: http://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2013/07/two_arrested_in_cana.php#ixzz2XyHM5HNl
Does anyone know anything about the background of the female. Was she a convert? What is her family background? I haven’t seen anything on that.
With regard to those Anglo sounding names, some news media are reporting that the male perp’s father was Muslim. This fellow (given all the crimes he has been charged with and convicted of) should have been behind bars. Drug addict; serial, repeat violent offender (smashing rocks against people’s heads, etc.), and a member of some punk music band which wanted to “celebrate” Allah (?) A real lunatic.
Happy 4th of July to our U.S. neighbours. I was cruising along the highway during the Canada Day long weekend and an oldie but goodie song came on my satellite radio. MONSTER BY STEPPENWOLF – This song is about the U.S.A. and is just as relevant today as when it was written. In the 70’s? Strange how the same message was being delivered some 40 years ago…. For those who are not familiar with the song MONSTER is not referring to the U.S. but is referring to the MONSTER that can and must be defeated but we need the U.S. on board to do it. A really good listen.
@ CuriousAmerican:
Ancestry had nothing to do with it. He was a convert to Islam. People are converting to Islam by the thousands for all sorts of reasons, particularly in Europe. ~~~ This guy was angry at the West and a little crazy as well, two conditions that made him and Islam perfect for each other.
Something is not right.
I just checked those names on Ancestry.com
They are Anglo-Saxon/British names.
Stuart?!!! STUART?! That is as Scottish as it comes.
Amanda Marie Korody?!
Korody could be Hungarian.
Something is not making sense, here.
Is this even connected to the Mideast at all?
There is something the news reports are hiding. I doubt both of them are converts. I doubt immigrants would have names like that?!
They’ve tried it before. A well-organized jihadist group wanted to storm Parliament and behead our PM just a few years ago. Those plans were part of a larger plot in a terror campaign across the country to secure the release of Muslim prisoners from Canadian and Afghan prisons and demand the removal of Canadian troops from Afghanistan
Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,198319,00.html#ixzz2Xzk9o3Va
That did not do much to endear Muslims to PM Harper.
@ the phoenix:
Thanks, Phoenix. You too. No place is safe anymore. 🙁
@ Canadian Otter:
Indeed! …. Sigh…
Stay safe, otter!
Not our first terrorist – Victoria already had a brush with a terrorist when the Millennium Bomber disembarked from the Port Angeles (Washington state) to Victoria ferry with a carload of explosives back in 1999. An alert customs agent had a feeling something was not right with this guy (OMG racial profiling!) and he was subjected to further inspection. This follower of the religion of peace intended to blow up the Los Angeles International Airport on the eve of the Millennium. That ferry terminal is less than a block from the Legislature, so it also happened in my idyllic neighborhood. http://www.komonews.com/news/local/Millennium-bomber-sentence-overturned-142349115.html
Looks like an attempt of death by chulent.
Nifty!
@ Ted Belman:
Just four blocks from my home to be exact. The Legislature is in front of the harbor, and that’s the heart of the tourist area. I normally avoid crowds, such as those on Canada Day, but now I have another reason to do so. All it takes is one follower of the religion of peace with anger management issues to ruin my day.
For those of you not familiar with Victoria, it’s the most beautiful city I’ve ever seen, a little paradise. Hardly any crime. Gardens everywhere. No snow and moderate temperatures year round. The streets are very safe, the people friendly. Unlike the mainland, it was always a mostly white town with a few Chinese who had been here since Colonial times, and some Aboriginals. Then three years ago I saw my first burka. This year women with head coverings and even face coverings are all over town. They have finally moved in here and now they have a brand new mosque.
Paradise lost…
PS – the suspect was not only inspired by Al Qaeda, but he is an actual convert to Islam.
For years I have thought Vancouver was at a higer risk being a coastal large city. I hope the world takes note that this was not Jews they were targeting. They were targeting Canada – Canadians. These were just a couple of low life copycats.
Isn’t BC run by the Communists (aka New Democrats)? I thought Vancouver as a whole was to the left of Che Guevara? Why should Jihadists want to blow up their radical Marxist allies?
Hey, Canadian Otter, its getting close to home, eh?