Ottawa man charged with tweeting threats, terrorist hoaxes against Parliament Hill, embassies

Ottawa

A specialized police team has arrested a 19-year-old Ottawa man, alleging he threatened Parliament Hill and the American and Chinese embassies in November.

19-year-old allegedly threatened Parliament Hill, Chinese and U.S. embassies

Parliament Hill’s Peace Tower is framed in an iron fence in March 2020. It’s one of four places or departments allegedly targeted in a series of Twitter threats and hoaxes in November 2022. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)

A specialized police team has arrested a 19-year-old Ottawa man, alleging he threatened Parliament Hill, a federal department and two embassies in November.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a Tuesday news release an Integrated National Security Enforcement Team learned of Twitter threats Nov. 8 against the Hill, the Department of Defence and the American and Chinese embassies.

The man has been charged with four counts each of conveying a terrorist hoax, threatening death or bodily harm to a person and threatening to burn, destroy and damage property.

He has been released on unspecified conditions and is scheduled to appear back in court on Jan. 18.

The team that led the investigation and arrest is made up of RCMP, provincial and local police and federal agencies, with the goal of collecting and analyzing information about extremist and national security threats.

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