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Terror threat in Canada ‘elevated’ after Moscow attack, says Petraeus – Global News

Published

6 months ago

April 1, 2024

Retired U.S. general David Petraeus says the risk of a terror attack in Canada is “elevated” following an attack at a concert hall in Moscow that left 139 dead last week, for which an ISIS splinter group claimed responsibility.

Petraeus told The West Block host Mercedes Stephenson that an attack of such a scale makes the current state of extremism and global instability “very worrisome.”

“What actually keeps me awake at night… is the fact that we face more threats and more complex threats than we have at any time since the end of the Cold War, if not the end of World War Two,” said Petraeus, who is a former director of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency.

An Islamic State group known as ISIS-K has since claimed responsibility for the attack in Moscow that killed 139 people and left nearly 200 more injured. Eight men have appeared in court in the Russian capital as authorities continue to search for survivors and bodies in the now-ruined Crocus City Hall concert venue.

The tragedy is considered to be the deadliest terrorist attack on Russian soil in two decades.

Petraeus says the risk of an attack in Canada and the rest of the world is now “elevated.”

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“I think it has to be. And, I’m sure that that’s the assessment here in the United States as well… Every time one of these succeeds, it inspires copycats. It motivates them to try to do this as well. So I think that this is a significant threat worldwide,” he said.

The attack occurred on March 22 as crowds gathered to watch a performance by Russian rock band Picnic. According to video from the scene, several men raided the venue and opened fire on the crowd. At some point, a blaze erupted in the concert hall and the roof of the building caved in.

Canada’s Integrated Terrorism Assessment Centre (ITAC) warned last month that extremists motivated by the Israel-Hamas conflict could attack crowds at events in Canada.

Such an attack would likely be carried out by a “radicalized lone actor” using readily available weapons, ITAC wrote in the briefs circulated last October and released to Global News.

Click to play video: 'Poilievre calls for review of Canada’s terrorist threat assessment'

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Poilievre calls for review of Canada’s terrorist threat assessment

Petraeus says the Moscow attack came as a shock. He says the U.S. has sources and methods to warn Russia about possible terrorist attacks, which it has successfully done twice in the past, but “they obviously missed this one.”

Petraeus said on The West Block that the U.S., its partners and allies all have “plates spinning on sticks,” each representing different complex challenges to maintain peace.

Petraeus refers to tensions within China as one example, Iran’s nuclear program, and Russia, “which has gotten more menacing and dangerous.”

“There are cyber threat plates, nation states, extremist groups, criminals, you name it,” he said.

“So you put all of that together and it’s really trying to keep all these plates spinning without allowing any of the significant ones to drop. And that is a major challenge. It’s one that we all have to work together to do. And it highlights again why it’s so important that each individual country pulls its share of the load and then works in tandem with all the others,” he said.

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RCMP arrest second suspect in deadly shooting east of Calgary

Published

16 hours ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

EDMONTON – RCMP say a second suspect has been arrested in the killing of an Alberta county worker.

Mounties say 28-year-old Elijah Strawberry was taken into custody Friday at a house on O’Chiese First Nation.

Colin Hough, a worker with Rocky View County, was shot and killed while on the job on a rural road east of Calgary on Aug. 6.

Another man who worked for Fortis Alberta was shot and wounded, and RCMP said the suspects fled in a Rocky View County work truck.

Police later arrested Arthur Wayne Penner, 35, and charged him with first-degree murder and attempted murder, and a warrant was issued for Strawberry’s arrest.

RCMP also said there was a $10,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of Strawberry, describing him as armed and dangerous.

Chief Supt. Roberta McKale, told a news conference in Edmonton that officers had received tips and information over the last few weeks.

“I don’t know of many members that when were stopped, fuelling up our vehicles, we weren’t keeping an eye out, looking for him,” she said.

But officers had been investigating other cases when they found Strawberry.

“Our investigators were in O’Chiese First Nation at a residence on another matter and the major crimes unit was there working another file and ended up locating him hiding in the residence,” McKale said.

While an investigation is still underway, RCMP say they’re confident both suspects in the case are in police custody.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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26-year-old son is accused of his father’s murder on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast

Published

17 hours ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

RICHMOND, B.C. – The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team says the 26-year-old son of a man found dead on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast has been charged with his murder.

Police say 58-year-old Henry Doyle was found badly injured on a forest service road in Egmont last September and died of his injuries.

The homicide team took over when the BC Coroners Service said the man’s death was suspicious.

It says in a statement that the BC Prosecution Service has approved one count of first-degree murder against the man’s son, Jackson Doyle.

Police say the accused will remain in custody until at least his next court appearance.

The homicide team says investigators remained committed to solving the case with the help of the community of Egmont, the RCMP on the Sunshine Coast and in Richmond, and the Vancouver Police Department.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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Metro Vancouver’s HandyDART strike continues after talks break with no deal

Published

17 hours ago

September 13, 2024

Anne Joseph

VANCOUVER – Mediated talks between the union representing HandyDART workers in Metro Vancouver and its employer, Transdev, have broken off without an agreement following 15 hours of talks.

Joe McCann, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1724, says they stayed at the bargaining table with help from a mediator until 2 a.m. Friday and made “some progress.”

However, he says the union negotiators didn’t get an offer that they could recommend to the membership.

McCann says that in some ways they are close to an agreement, but in other areas they are “miles apart.”

About 600 employees of the door-to-door transit service for people who can’t navigate the conventional transit system have been on strike since last week, pausing service for all but essential medical trips.

McCann asks HandyDART users to be “patient,” since they are trying to get not only a fair contract for workers but also a better service for customers.

He says it’s unclear when the talks will resume, but he hopes next week at the latest.

The employer, Transdev, didn’t reply to an interview request before publication.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 13, 2024.

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