Conservatives call on government to disclose how latest ISIS suspect came to Canada
Federal officials declined to answer questions about the immigration status of Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, citing privacy laws, and said only they were reviewing how he came to Canada.
The Conservatives are demanding that the government explain how a 20-year-old Pakistani man, arrested in Quebec over an alleged ISIS plot targeting U.S. Jews, was able to enter Canada.
Federal officials have refused to provide details on Muhammad Shahzeb Khan’s immigration status, citing privacy laws. They confirmed only that they are investigating how he arrived in Canada.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Khan is a “Pakistani citizen residing in Canada.” Meanwhile, Canadian Jewish groups said officials informed them during a Friday briefing that Khan’s student visa was under investigation.
“We are looking into this,” said Aissa Diop, communications director for Immigration Minister Marc Miller. “We will not comment further as there is an investigation.”
However, deputy opposition leader Melissa Lantsman warned that if the Liberals fail to "quickly disclose this key information," the Conservatives "will be seeking to force them to do so, as we did with Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi.”
In July, Eldidi and his son were arrested for allegedly planning an ISIS attack in Toronto. Despite appearing in a 2015 ISIS video, Eldidi was able to gain refugee status and citizenship in Canada. Following the revelation, opposition parties called for testimony on how Eldidi immigrated to Canada from Egypt.
Khan’s recent arrest, connected to a planned mass shooting at a Jewish centre in Brooklyn, N.Y., has sparked further concerns about Canada’s security screening procedures.
Khan was apprehended in Ormstown, Quebec, on Wednesday while allegedly attempting to cross into the U.S. He had reportedly discussed using a smuggler to enter the country. The U.S. has charged Khan with attempting to provide material support to ISIS, a designated foreign terrorist organization.
According to the FBI, Khan told undercover officers he wanted to "slaughter" Jews in New York City on or around Oct. 7, marking the anniversary of the Hamas attack that killed 1,200 in Israel.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies (FSWC) said the RCMP briefed Canadian Jewish organizations on the plot. At the briefing, police indicated that Khan was on a student visa, though it was unclear if he still held that status, according to Jaime Kirzner-Roberts, FSWC’s senior director of advocacy and policy.
Michael Levitt, president and CEO of the FSWC, expressed concern over the growing trend of terrorist activity in Canada, especially amid rising antisemitic attacks on Jewish institutions.
“This incident raises serious questions about the effectiveness of our immigration and vetting processes. These must be addressed by government leaders and law enforcement before a tragedy occurs on Canadian soil,” Levitt said.
B’nai Brith Canada also confirmed that Khan was in Canada on a student visa, adding that this was “implied during the briefing” with the RCMP and Public Safety Canada. Both organizations indicated that Khan's immigration status is part of an ongoing investigation.
