Canadian police charge ISIS conspiracy suspect in plot against Jews, women’s attempted kidnappings
Waleed Khan, 26, of Toronto, and two associates are accused of conspiring with ISIS, with multiple charges including attempted kidnappings and hate crimes in the Greater Toronto Area.
Canadian authorities on Friday charged Waleed Khan, 26, of Toronto, with conspiring with the Islamic State to provide information to ISIS and with murder-for-a-terrorist group, as well as aiding terrorist activity, officials said. He is among three men linked to alleged ISIS involvement and attacks targeting members of the Jewish community in the Greater Toronto Area, Toronto police said.
Police allege Khan, Osman Azizov, 18, and Fahad Sadaat, 19, carried out the offenses in a span that investigators say ran from June 17 to Aug. 17. The trio face multiple counts, including conspiring to commit murder for a terrorist group, providing funds and property to ISIS, and aiding terrorist activity. Police said 79 charges have been brought against the three men, with each facing 14 charges, in connection with the alleged plot and related acts.
In May and June, authorities say the group conducted two attempted kidnappings of women in the Greater Toronto Area. In the first incident, a woman was approached by three men — one armed with a handgun and another with a knife — who attempted to force her into a vehicle, but fled when approached by another motorist. Less than a month later, the trio allegedly confronted a second pair of women while carrying a handgun, a rifle and a knife, and began chasing them until a nearby witness intervened. After arrests, investigators recovered a cache of guns and evidence suggesting additional hate crimes targeting members of the Jewish community.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah commended investigators and noted that the case shows a dangerous escalation from armed, coordinated attempts at kidnapping to broader hate-motivated crime and terrorism in the GTA and beyond. He highlighted cooperation among the Peel Regional Police, the Toronto Police Service and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in pursuing the case.
The investigation remains active, and authorities said additional charges could follow as more evidence is analyzed. The case underscores ongoing scrutiny of potential ISIS-related activity and hate crimes within Canada, with police urging anyone with information to come forward.
