Montreal Man with Al-Qaeda Ties Faces Psychiatric Evaluation After Threatening Attack Charges
Man with past al-Qaida support faces new charges for threats of bomb attacks in Montreal, prompting psychiatric evaluation and security concerns.
A man previously convicted of supporting al-Qaida is facing fresh legal scrutiny after being charged with threatening to carry out an attack in Montreal. Mohamed Abdullah Warsame, 51, was ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation following allegations that he made threats about building and detonating bombs on the city’s public transit system.
The charges stem from an incident at a Montreal homeless shelter, where Warsame allegedly told an employee of his intentions to cause mass casualties. The Old Mission Brewery, which operates several shelters in the city, alerted police after the alleged statement was made on May 27. Authorities say Warsame was subsequently hospitalized for psychiatric reasons and was later arrested by the RCMP on Wednesday afternoon.
Appearing at the Montreal courthouse by videoconference on Thursday morning, Warsame faced charges of uttering threats. He returned to court on Friday, when the judge ordered a psychiatric evaluation expected to take up to 30 days. Warsame is currently remanded in custody while the assessment is conducted and is scheduled to appear in court again upon its completion.
According to law enforcement, Warsame has a notable criminal history tied to terrorism-related activities. In 2009, he pleaded guilty in Minnesota to providing material support to al-Qaida, one of the world’s most notorious terrorist organizations. Born in Somalia but holding Canadian citizenship, Warsame reportedly traveled to Afghanistan in 2000, attended al-Qaida training camps, and met with Osama bin Laden. He also admitted to sending funds to a commander from those camps.
Following his time in Afghanistan, Warsame moved to Minneapolis, where investigators say he remained engaged with al-Qaida associates, sharing information through 2002 and 2003. U.S. authorities arrested him in December 2003, and in 2009, he was sentenced to 92 months in federal prison. After serving time, with credit for time already spent in custody, he was deported back to Canada in October 2010.
At the time of the alleged threats in Montreal, Warsame reportedly had no fixed address, highlighting ongoing social and security challenges associated with individuals returning to Canada after convictions on terrorism-related charges. The Montreal community is now closely watching the case as it unfolds, awaiting the results of the court-ordered psychiatric evaluation and any further legal proceedings.
