Latest news with #MarcAurèleChabot
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
What we know (so far) about the plot to seize land in Quebec and the military men allegedly behind it
The RCMP made shocking allegations this week when they accused four men, including Canadian Armed Forces members, of amassing a trove of weapons and explosives as part of a scheme to take over land near Quebec's capital. Police called the plot an act of "ideologically motivated violent extremism." National security experts say it's likely the first time that active members of the Canadian military have been charged with terrorism-related offences. The case is also unique due to the sheer scale of weapons and gear seized, and allegations some of the equipment was taken from the military. This is just the start of what could be a long journey through the courts. But here's what we know so far about the extremist plot and the men allegedly behind it. The accused are all relatively young men from Quebec, all with ties to the armed forces or cadets. Three of the four accused — Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, of Quebec City; Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville, Que; and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, also of Quebec City — have been charged with the serious offence of facilitating a terrorist activity. According to court documents, the alleged offence took place in Montreal, Quebec City, Petawawa, Ont., and Rolphton, Ont., between 2021 and 2024. If convicted, they face up to 14 years in prison. The three also face a slew of charges related to the firearms, explosives and other gear the RCMP uncovered. The documents show Lagacé is accused of storing 50 firearms illegally. Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge, Que., faces charges including possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives, and possession of controlled items. He also faces charges related to the Explosives Act and Defence Production Act, which regulates access to military supplies. The Office of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal said in a statement Tuesday evening that Forbes and Chabot are serving members — both corporals based at CFB Valcartier. A colleague of Chabot's confirmed that he was serving last summer in the Vandoos, also known as the Royal 22nd Regiment. CBC News has agreed to withhold his identity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on Canadian Armed Forces matters. WATCH | Military members charged in alleged militia plot: The colleague expressed concerns about comments Chabot had made about the federal government and then prime minister Justin Trudeau. He described those comments as "almost treasonous." The Canadian Armed Forces said one of the four accused was a former armed forces member, and the other a former civilian instructor with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. It did not provide names. But a Facebook account belonging to Lagacé is filled with photos of him in military-inspired gear posing with firearms and shows he was a decorated member of the cadet program. In 2019 he received an award from Jean-Marc Lanthier, then the vice-chief of the defence staff, after he performed CPR on his grandfather, according to a Facebook post. Lagacé used his social media page to rail against the Liberals' gun control legislation and posted a photo of a hat that says "make Trudeau a drama teacher again." Angers-Audet's father told La Presse his son left the army during the COVID-19 pandemic and had a stroke after getting a vaccine. Philippe Audet told the French-language newspaper that his son and friends are being framed. The quartet is accused of plotting to "forcibly take possession of land" near Quebec's capital. The plan, according to the RCMP, included building up an "anti-government militia." Members of the group had allegedly already begun what the police described as "military-style training, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises." "A variety of firearms, some prohibited, as well as high-capacity magazines and tactical equipment were allegedly used in these activities," said the RCMP. On Tuesday, the Mounties released a photo showing seven people taking part in those alleged exercises. They appear to be in a quarry or pit, wearing military-style fatigues. The RCMP said one the suspects is also accused of running an Instagram account intended to recruit members. The men had stockpiled a massive trove of weapons and equipment, according to their charge sheets. None of the allegations have been tested in court. Many details remain unknown about their alleged plan, but more will likely be revealed if the case moves to trial. What weapons were seized? One of the most eye-popping elements of the story is how much firepower and equipment was seized. The RCMP executed searches in January of last year, seizing 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms and accessories, approximately 11,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibres and nearly 130 magazines. The court documents show a CZ Bren 2 MS rifle, a Glock 17 9-mm pistol, military smoke grenades, laser aiming devices and night-vision goggles were part of the haul. Forbes is also charged with illegally sending a laser-sighting system to someone in Quebec City, France and the United States. The RCMP said in its news release some of the seized items were military equipment, but wouldn't confirm if that included weapons. Jessica Davis, president of Insight Threat Intelligence and a former analyst with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), said the seizure is the largest cache of weapons and components in any terrorism incident in Canadian history. It's not yet clear what allegedly motivated the suspects. Other than describing the men as wanting to create an "anti-government militia," investigators have not commented on their political leanings. RCMP spokesperson Staff Sgt. Camille Habel did say those who ascribe to ideologically motivated violent extremism often want to form a new society, sometimes through violence. They'll often want to "create some kind of chaos" in order to live the way that they want, she said Tuesday. Habel said the RCMP's investigation began in the spring of 2023 and determined the alleged activity began in June 2021. That would coincide with the COVID-19 pandemic and repeated lockdowns. At the time, intelligence agencies were warning of the rise in ideologically motivated extremism and how players were leveraging the pandemic to sow hateful narratives and divisive conspiracy theories. The four men made brief virtual appearances in a Quebec City courthouse Tuesday, where Crown prosecutor Sara Moussa objected to their release. Their next court date is July 14. The four have not entered a plea yet and a bail hearing hasn't been scheduled.
CBC
9 hours ago
- CBC
What we know (so far) about the plot to seize land in Quebec and the military men allegedly behind it
Social Sharing The RCMP made shocking allegations this week when they accused four men, including Canadian Armed Forces members, of amassing a trove of weapons and explosives as part of a scheme to take over land near Quebec's capital. Police called the plot an act of "ideologically motivated violent extremism." National security experts say it's likely the first time that active members of the Canadian military have been charged with terrorism-related offences. The case is also unique due to the sheer scale of weapons and gear seized, and allegations some of the equipment was taken from the military. This is just the start of what could be a long journey through the courts. But here's what we know so far about the extremist plot and the men allegedly behind it. Who are the suspects? The accused are all relatively young men from Quebec, all with ties to the armed forces or cadets. Three of the four accused — Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, of Quebec City; Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville, Que; and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, also of Quebec City — have been charged with the serious offence of facilitating a terrorist activity. According to court documents, the alleged offence took place in Montreal, Quebec City, Petawawa, Ont., and Rolphton, Ont., between 2021 and 2024. If convicted, they face up to 14 years in prison. The three also face a slew of charges related to the firearms, explosives and other gear the RCMP uncovered. The documents show Lagacé is accused of storing 50 firearms illegally. Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge, Que., faces charges including possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives, and possession of controlled items. He also faces charges related to the Explosives Act and Defence Production Act, which regulates access to military supplies. The Office of the Canadian Forces Provost Marshal said in a statement Tuesday evening that Forbes and Chabot are serving members — both corporals based at CFB Valcartier. A colleague of Chabot's confirmed that he was serving last summer in the Vandoos, also known as the Royal 22nd Regiment. CBC News has agreed to withhold his identity because he was not authorized to speak publicly on Canadian Armed Forces matters. WATCH | Military members charged in alleged militia plot: Military members accused in anti-government plot 21 hours ago Duration 2:40 The colleague expressed concerns about comments Chabot had made about the federal government and then prime minister Justin Trudeau. He described those comments as "almost treasonous." The Canadian Armed Forces said one of the four accused was a former armed forces member, and the other a former civilian instructor with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. It did not provide names. But a Facebook account belonging to Lagacé is filled with photos of him in military-inspired gear posing with firearms and shows he was a decorated member of the cadet program. In 2019 he received an award from Jean-Marc Lanthier, then the vice-chief of the defence staff, after he performed CPR on his grandfather, according to a Facebook post. Lagacé used his social media page to rail against the Liberals' gun control legislation and posted a photo of a hat that says "make Trudeau a drama teacher again." Angers-Audet's father told La Presse his son left the army during the COVID-19 pandemic and had a stroke after getting a vaccine. Philippe Audet told the French-language newspaper that his son and friends are being framed. What are they accused of planning? The quartet is accused of plotting to "forcibly take possession of land" near Quebec's capital. The plan, according to the RCMP, included building up an "anti-government militia." Members of the group had allegedly already begun what the police described as "military-style training, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises." "A variety of firearms, some prohibited, as well as high-capacity magazines and tactical equipment were allegedly used in these activities," said the RCMP. On Tuesday, the Mounties released a photo showing seven people taking part in those alleged exercises. They appear to be in a quarry or pit, wearing military-style fatigues. The RCMP said one the suspects is also accused of running an Instagram account intended to recruit members. The men had stockpiled a massive trove of weapons and equipment, according to their charge sheets. None of the allegations have been tested in court. Many details remain unknown about their alleged plan, but more will likely be revealed if the case moves to trial. What weapons were seized? One of the most eye-popping elements of the story is how much firepower and equipment was seized. The RCMP executed searches in January of last year, seizing 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms and accessories, approximately 11,000 rounds of ammunition of various calibres and nearly 130 magazines. The court documents show a CZ Bren 2 MS rifle, a Glock 17 9-mm pistol, military smoke grenades, laser aiming devices and night-vision goggles were part of the haul. Forbes is also charged with illegally sending a laser-sighting system to someone in Quebec City, France and the United States. The RCMP said in its news release some of the seized items were military equipment, but wouldn't confirm if that included weapons. Jessica Davis, president of Insight Threat Intelligence and a former analyst with the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), said the seizure is the largest cache of weapons and components in any terrorism incident in Canadian history. What was the alleged motivation? It's not yet clear what allegedly motivated the suspects. Other than describing the men as wanting to create an "anti-government militia," investigators have not commented on their political leanings. RCMP spokesperson Staff Sgt. Camille Habel did say those who ascribe to ideologically motivated violent extremism often want to form a new society, sometimes through violence. They'll often want to "create some kind of chaos" in order to live the way that they want, she said Tuesday. Habel said the RCMP's investigation began in the spring of 2023 and determined the alleged activity began in June 2021. That would coincide with the COVID-19 pandemic and repeated lockdowns. At the time, intelligence agencies were warning of the rise in ideologically motivated extremism and how players were leveraging the pandemic to sow hateful narratives and divisive conspiracy theories. What happens next? The four men made brief virtual appearances in a Quebec City courthouse Tuesday, where Crown prosecutor Sara Moussa objected to their release. Their next court date is July 14.
Daily Mail
15 hours ago
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Rogue soldiers charged in extremist plot to take over land
Four people, including two active members of the Canadian Armed Forces, have been arrested over an extremist plot to forcibly take possession of land in Quebec. Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, both of Quebec City, and Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville, are accused of facilitating terrorist activity and trying to 'create anti-government militia'. The trio, who police say 'took concrete actions to facilitate terrorist activity', were arrested early on Tuesday in Quebec City. They allegedly took part in military-style training and conducted a scouting operation, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said. A variety of firearms, some prohibited, as well as high-capacity magazines and tactical equipment were allegedly used in these activities. The three are also facing additional charges relating to the alleged illegal storage of firearms, and possession of explosives and prohibited devices. Police said that a fourth suspect, Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge, Quebec, has been charged with possessing firearms, prohibited devices and explosives, among other offenses. Court documents say the acts are alleged to have taken place between June 2021 and January 2024 in Quebec City and Montreal in Quebec; in Rolphton and Petawawa in Ontario; as well as elsewhere in Quebec, Ontario and Canada. 'The three accused were planning to create anti-government militia,' the RCMP said. 'To achieve this, they took part in military-style training, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises. They also conducted a scouting operation.' In an email to The Canadian Press, the Department of National Defence confirmed that two of the suspects were active members of the Armed Forces. 'The Canadian Armed Forces is taking these allegations very seriously and has fully participated in the investigation led by the RCMP,' the department said. Neither police nor the defense department identified which of the four suspects were active members of the military. Police said that the investigation began in March 2023. Searches conducted in January 2024 in Quebec City led to the seizure of 16 explosive devices, about 11,000 rounds of ammunition and other weapons. RCMP Cpl. Erique Gasse described the case as 'ideologically motivated violent extremism.' The suspects wanted to start an anti-government 'community' north of Quebec City, and allegedly used a private Instagram account to recruit members and supporters, Gasse said. RCMP distributed a photo from that Instagram account showing seven people in military-style uniforms brandishing firearms. Gasse didn't say who was pictured. 'We know there were followers on that site,' he said. 'They were trying to recruit people who had knowledge about guns, and they were telling people where they were training in Quebec or in Ontario.' When asked about the possibility of more arrests, Gasse said the investigation of the four suspects was complete, but new inquiries could begin if more evidence comes to light. Court documents say the suspects had in their possession weapons including grenades, night-vision goggles, high-capacity magazines, and improperly stored firearms.
Telegraph
a day ago
- Telegraph
Canadian soldiers charged over plot to seize part of Quebec
Two members of Canada's armed forces have been charged for alleged involvement in a plot to form an 'anti-government militia' and forcibly take land in Quebec. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrested four people in total and said that three of the suspects had taken 'concrete actions to facilitate terrorist activity'. In a statement, the force said: 'The three accused were planning to create anti-government militia. 'To achieve this, they took part in military-style training, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises. They also conducted a scouting operation.' The group was allegedly using a variety of guns – some prohibited – as well as high-capacity magazines and tactical equipment such as grenades and night-vision goggles. Court documents said the training reportedly took place between June 2021 and January 2024 in Quebec City and Montreal as well as Rolphton and Petawawa in Ontario. Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, both of Quebec City, and Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville, Quebec, were charged with facilitating terrorist activity following their arrests on Tuesday morning. They are also facing additional charges relating to the alleged illegal storage of guns and the possession of explosives and prohibited devices. Police said a fourth suspect – Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge, Quebec – was charged with possessing guns, prohibited devices and explosives, among other offences. An email from the Department of National Defence confirmed that two of the suspects were active members of Canada's armed forces. 'The Canadian armed forces is taking these allegations very seriously and has fully participated in the investigation led by the RCMP,' the department said. It has not been confirmed which of the four suspects were in the military. Police said investigations into the plot began in March 2023, with the force conducting searches in January 2024 that led to the seizure of 16 explosive devices, some 11,000 rounds of ammunition and other weapons in Quebec City. Cpl Erique Gasse described the case as 'ideologically motivated violent extremism'. The suspects wanted to create an anti-government 'community' north of Quebec City and allegedly used a private Instagram account to recruit members, Cpl Gasse said. RCMP distributed a photo from the account that showed seven people in military-style uniforms brandishing firearms, not disclosing who was pictured. 'We know there were followers on that site,' he said. 'They were trying to recruit people who had knowledge about guns and they were telling people where they were training in Quebec or in Ontario.'
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Canadian police seize largest ever weapons cache in terrorism inquiry
Police in Canada have arrested and charged four people, including active military members, who they allege were 'planning to create anti-government militia' and to 'forcibly take possession of land' in the province of Quebec. The scope of material uncovered by police, including explosives and assault rifles, marks the largest weapons cache ever seized as part of terrorism investigation. On Tuesday, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police charged Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, of Quebec City, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, of Quebec City, alleging the group took actions to facilitate terrorist activity. 'The three accused were planning to create anti-government militia. To achieve this, they took part in military-style training, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises. They also conducted a scouting operation,' the RCMP said in a statement. A fourth individual, Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge, has been charged with possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives. The four have not yet entered pleas. The RCMP said they conducted searches in January 2024 in the province of Quebec, where they discovered 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms, 11,000 rounds of ammunition and other military equipment – 18 months before the arrests were made. Police said the investigation was led by Quebec's RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Team squad, with help from local police. Other than describing the men as wanting to create an 'anti-government militia', investigators have not described the motivating ideology and nor did they reveal what the men were alleged to have identified as a target in their attempt to 'forcibly take possession of land in the Québec City area'. The RCMP also released images of handguns, assault rifles, vests and ammunition seized by officers. 'This is the largest cache of equipment and weapons and explosive devices that have ever been found in a terrorist incident, by a long shot, in Canada,' said Jessica Davis, a former intelligence analyst at Canada's spy agency and the president of Insight Threat Intelligence, a consultancy. 'I would probably put it in one of the top caches of disrupted plots around the world, particularly in Nato countries. It's huge and we don't know what they were planning on doing with that – but that was a lot of military equipment and devices.' The RCMP also posted images of an accused's social media profile that included images 'with the aim of recruiting new members to the anti-government militia'. Davis said that over the last two decades, most of the terror attacks in Canada have been perpetrated by ideologically motivated violent extremism. 'We're not talking about al-Qaida and Islamic State. We're talking about anti-Muslim, 'Incel' or anti-government extremists. And I think that's one of those things that Canadians don't necessarily understand. The Islamic State makes the news, but it's really this other type of terrorism that's the real problem in this country.' The four men were due to appear in a Quebec court on Tuesday. None of the charges have been tested in court.
