Montreal police probe whether incendiary materials tied to Middle East conflict

MONTREAL — Montreal police say they are investigating whether five people arrested Wednesday in possession of incendiary materials could have been planning something in connection to the war in the Middle East.

Police spokesperson Manuel Couture said Thursday that investigators are trying to determine whether nearby synagogues were intended targets.

Police intercepted a vehicle containing unspecified incendiary materials shortly before 2 a.m. in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and arrested three minors — one aged 16 and the others 17.

Fifteen minutes later police arrested a 20-year-old and a 22-year-old in Côte-Saint-Luc, who also had incendiary materials in their vehicle.

Couture said the suspects were released under conditions with a promise to appear in court at a later date.

In a news release, Montreal police attributed the arrests to their increased presence and surveillance ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel.

The Montreal-based non-profit group United Against Hate Canada wrote Thursday to Montreal police Chief Fady Dagher, raising concerns that the five suspects had been released and asking that the alleged offences be investigated as hate crimes.

“A dissuasive message must be sent that such violent actions will be accompanied by significant jail time,” said the letter from the group’s director general, Marvin Rotrand.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2024.