A 54 -year -old man was accused after he allegedly threatened to fly a mosque and the house of a Muslim family in Newmarket.
The York Regional Police said in a press release on Thursday that the officers were notified of a motivated hate incident in which threats to the Newmarket Muslim community were made.
At a press conference on Monday, the media leader and communications in the National Council of Canadian Muslims said that the suspect allegedly planned to fly the local mosque and the house of a Muslim family.
“The suspect is an expert in HVAC. He allegedly said he would use his experience in that area to manipulate the gas lines, to fly the house of his Muslim neighbor, to kill everyone inside and supposedly included the children,” said Steven Zhou.
Police said the alleged threats were made on September 1, and the agents were notified about the incident two days later. On Thursday, a 54 -year -old man from the city of Newmarket was arrested and accused of two positions to pronounce threats, police said.
Zhou said the suspect was a close neighbor with the target family and met them for 14 years.
“The suspect had become friends with this Muslim family, but trusted another neighbor who had allegedly planned to kill the Muslim family and fly the mosque,” he said, adding that the neighbor reported the suspect’s plan to the police.
The suspect also allegedly consumed large amounts of Islamophobic and anti-musulman content online, Zhou said.
Directed family, declaration of launch of the mosque
In a statement read by the Mobilization Director of NCCM, the father of the target family, who wants to remain in anonymity, said they continue to live with fear given the current situation.
“The idea that someone who lives so close to us, within our own community, consumed and shared the content and anti-musulms beliefs of the extreme right while planning violent attacks is deeply disturbing and disturbing,” said Omar Khamsa at the press conference.
The family expects the authorities to do what is necessary to protect them and the community, according to the statement.
“I hope our experience alerts Newmarket people about the seriousness of this incident and highlights the urgent need to address Islamophobia and anti-Muslim hatred in our community,” Khamsa said, reading the statement in the name of the family.
Khamsa also read comments from the mosque that the suspect allegedly planned to attack.
The mosque, who does not want to share his name due to security concerns, said that knowing about the suspect’s plan has been “really sobering and difficult.”
“The mosque is a place for peaceful reflection and community worship. If this person had allowed himself to continue his plan, he would have become a massive tragedy,” said Khamsa.
The community deserves help to respond to hate crimes: NCCM
Khamsa said the community deserves to see change and real solutions to help respond to hate crimes and motivated hate incidents.
He said he wants to reiterate the recommendations of a Islamophobia study by the Permanent Committee of Justice and Human Rights published in December. The study lists a series of recommendations that include reforming the security and infrastructure program for mosques and places of worship.
“We have the right to be angry at these threats and attempts to intimidate Muslims in our community. Do we have to wait more bloodshed before measures are really taken?” Khamsa said.
York Police Insp. Stu Garner said the investigation is being treated as a hate crime, but said he could not share any detail.
“I will not endanger the integrity of the investigation, but what has been transmitted in terms of wanting to fly the mosque and kill a Muslim in his neighborhood is what we are investigating,” Garner said at the press conference.
The mayor of Newmarket, John Taylor, said at the press conference that he spoke with the target family about the incident.
“Listening how deeply affected this family is disturbing,” he said.
Taylor said he will continue to work with Islamic society and all faith groups in Newmarket to ensure that the city is a place where everyone feels safe and welcome.
