The RCMP made shocking accusations this week when they accused four men, including members of the Canadian Armed Forces, of accumulating a treasure of weapons and explosives as part of a scheme to take care of the Earth near the capital of Quebec.
Police described the plot an act of “violent extremism motivated ideologically.”
National Security experts say that it is likely to be the first time that the active members of the Canadian army have been accused of crimes related to terrorism. The case is also unique due to the large scale of arms and teams seized, and accusations that some of the teams were taken from the army.
This is only the beginning of what could be a long trip through the courts. But this is what we know so far about the extremist plot and the men supposedly behind it.
Who are the suspects?
The defendants are relatively young men of Quebec, all with ties with the armed forces or cadets.
Three of the four defendants: Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, of the city of Quebec; Simon Angers-Audet, 24, from Neuville, who; and Raphaël Lagacecé, 25, also from the city of Quebec, has been accused of the serious crime of facilitating a terrorist activity.
According to judicial documents, the alleged crime took place in Montreal, Quebec City, Petawawa, Ontario, and Rolphton, Ontario, between 2021 and 2024.
If it is convicted, they face up to 14 years in prison.
The three also face a large number of charges related to firearms, explosives and other equipment discovered by RCMP.
The documents show that Lagaceé is accused of storing 50 firearms illegally.
Matthew Forbes, 33, from Pont-Rouge, who faces positions that include possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives, and possession of controlled items. It also faces positions related to the Explosives Law and the Defense Production Law, which regulates access to military supplies.
The Office of the Marshal of the Canadian forces said in a statement on Tuesday night that Forbes and Chabot are serving the members, both bodies based in CFB Valcartier.
A Chabot colleague confirmed that he would be serving last summer in Los Vandoos, also known as El Royal 22º Regiment. CBC News has agreed to retain its identity because it was not authorized to speak publicly about issues of the Canadian Armed Forces.
Two active members of the Canadian armed forces are among the four Quebec men accused of being part of an alleged anti -government plot that meant creating a militia and turning off land.
The colleague expressed concern about the comments that Chabot had made about the federal government and then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. He described those comments as “almost treacherous.”
The Canadian Armed Forces said that one of the four defendants was a former member of the Armed Forces, and the other a former civil instructor with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets. Did not provide names.
But a Facebook account that belongs to LagaCé is full of photos of him as a military inspiration team posing with firearms and shows that he was a decorated member of the cadet program.
In 2019 he received a Jean-Marc Lanthier award, then the vice president of the defense personnel, after RCP in his grandfather, according to a Facebook post.
Lagacea used its social media page to strengthen the weapons control legislation of the liberals and published a photo of a hat that says “make Trudeau a drama teacher again.”
Angers-Audet’s father told the Presse that his son left the army during the Covid-19 pandemic and had a stroke after receiving a vaccine.
Philippe Audet told the newspaper in French that his son and friends are being framed.
What are accused of planning?
The quartet is accused of conspiring to “take possession of land” near the capital of Quebec. The plan, according to the RCMP, included the construction of an “anti -government militia.” The members of the group supposedly had already begun what the police described as “military style training, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation.”
“A variety of firearms, some forbidden, as well as high -capacity tactical magazines and equipment were supposedly used in these activities,” said the RCMP.
On Tuesday, the Mounties published a photo that shows seven people participating in those alleged exercises. They seem to be in a quarry or well, with military style.
The RCMP said that one of the suspects is also accused of executing an Instagram account aimed at recruiting members.
The men had stored a massive treasure of weapons and equipment, according to their load sheets.
None of the accusations has been tested in court.
Many details are still unknown to their alleged plan, but it will probably be revealed more if the case moves to trial.
What weapons were seized?
One of the most striking elements in history is the amount of fire power and equipment.
The RCMP executed searches in January last year, taking 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms and accessories, approximately 11,000 rounds of ammunition of several calibers and almost 130 magazines.
Court’s documents show a CZ Bren 2 ms rifle, a Glock 17 9 mm pistol, military smoke grenades, laser aim devices and night vision glasses were part of the route.
Forbes is also accused of illegally sending a laser view system in the city of Quebec, France and the United States.
The RCMP said in its press release that some of the seized articles were military teams, but they would not confirm whether that included weapons.
Jessica Davis, President of Insight Ammg Intelligence and former analyst of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), said that seizure is the largest cache of weapons and components in any terrorism incident in Canadian history.
What was the supposed motivation?
It is not yet clear what supposedly motivated the suspects.
In addition to describing men as wanting to create an “anti -government militia”, researchers have not commented on their political inclinations.
Sergeant of the RCMP spokesman. Camille Habel said that those who attribute to violent extremism motivated ideologically want to form a new society, sometimes through violence.
They often want to “create some kind of chaos” to live in the way they want, he said on Tuesday.
Habel said RCMP’s investigation began in the spring of 2023 and determined that the alleged activity began in June 2021.
That would coincide with the COVID-19 pandemic and repeated blockages. At that time, intelligence agencies were warning about the increase in ideologically motivated extremism and how players were taking advantage of the pandemic to sow odious narratives and divisive conspiracy theories.
What happens later?
The four men made brief virtual appearances in a Quebec city court on Tuesday, where the prosecutor of the Crown Sara Moussa opposed her release.
His next date in court is July 14.
The four have not yet presented a plea and a bail audience has not been scheduled.
