Montreal police say online threat unfounded; two people under questioning

MONTREAL – Two people are being questioned in connection with an unfounded online threat that triggered a massive security operation in Montreal and the evacuation of about 200 people from their homes.

Local police say they received a tip from another force about someone making threats on social media and possibly possessing explosives.

An investigation led them to a home in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, a borough in the western part of the city.

Cmdr. Ian Lafreniere says a young man and a woman believed to be his mother surrendered to a police tactical unit and are being questioned.

Early this afternoon, police said their search of the home was complete and the threat was deemed unfounded.

About 200 people were forced to leave their homes as a precaution and commuter train service was interrupted at a nearby station.

Police wouldn’t say how many officers were on the ground — but acknowledged the RCMP and Quebec provincial police were involved.

Those three forces investigate terror-related threats jointly in Quebec.

“Because of the nature of the threat — we’ve done the investigation with the RCMP and the SQ (provincial police),” Lafreniere said.