Terror suspect came to Canada 3 years after allegedly appearing in ISIS video

A Toronto terror suspect, central to a controversy over Canada’s security screening procedures, arrived in the country three years after allegedly appearing in a 2015 ISIS execution video, according to details revealed on Wednesday.

A timeline presented at the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security shows that Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi arrived at Toronto’s Pearson airport on February 5, 2018, and subsequently made a refugee claim, which was approved in February 2019.

Eldidi obtained Canadian citizenship in May 2024, after being screened by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), which provided a "favorable recommendation," according to the timeline shared by Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

However, a month later, CSIS received information suggesting that Eldidi could be a security threat, prompting them to launch an investigation. The RCMP also initiated an investigation and, on July 28, arrested Eldidi and his son, Mostafa, for allegedly plotting an ISIS attack in Toronto.

According to the timeline, the son made a refugee claim at the Fort Erie, Ontario, land border crossing in 2020, which the Immigration and Refugee Board approved in 2022. His security screening also did not reveal any concerns. He is Egyptian and does not hold Canadian citizenship.

The committee decided to investigate the matter after Global News reported that the elder Eldidi had immigrated to Canada after allegedly appearing in an ISIS video showing the dismemberment of a prisoner.

During Wednesday’s hearing, LeBlanc stated that an internal review was underway to determine what information was available at the time and assured the committee that any necessary changes to the security screening system would be implemented swiftly.

LeBlanc emphasized that as soon as Canada’s security agencies became aware of the potential threat, they acted quickly to secure the arrests of the suspects, who are now in custody facing a total of nine charges.

"The moment the government of Canada became aware of concerning information regarding this individual, all of the appropriate steps were put in place by CSIS and the RCMP, which culminated in the arrest on the 28th of July," LeBlanc stated.

One of the charges against the elder Eldidi relates to an aggravated assault the RCMP alleges was committed overseas in 2015. Sources informed Global News that this charge is connected to a video released by ISIS in Iraq in 2015, which shows a man in an ISIS uniform dismembering a prisoner with a sword.

Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman challenged the government’s handling of the case, questioning the effectiveness of the security screening system. "Do you really think that the system is working if somebody like this who’s an alleged ISIS terrorist who, if he was even a little bit more productive, would have resulted in mass casualties in Toronto?" she asked. "Do you really think that that’s how the system should work? Do you really think that this is not a colossal failure of your government?"

The government’s timeline indicates that the elder Eldidi initially applied for a visitor visa in December 2017, which was denied. However, he reapplied and was approved a month later.

The initial security screening conducted by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) "did not identify any security risks," and the application was not referred to CSIS or the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), the document reveals.

During the committee meeting, a CBSA representative disclosed that the agency had since obtained a copy of the ISIS video, but it was not available during Eldidi’s initial security screening.

“Independent of the criminal investigation, the CBSA, subsequent to media reporting, went and obtained an instance of this video from the dark web,” said Ted Gallivan, the agency’s executive vice-president. “That video wasn’t available to the CBSA and officials who were screening the individual,” he explained, adding that the ongoing review aims to clarify these issues.

Eldidi, 62, was arrested at a hotel north of Toronto, where he and his 26-year-old son were allegedly planning an attack in the city. The RCMP stated that the pair were "in the advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto." Authorities reportedly seized an axe and machete at the scene.

Immigration Minister Marc Miller has indicated that his department is considering revoking Eldidi’s citizenship. Since his son is not a Canadian citizen, he could face deportation. According to the timeline, the CBSA has initiated an investigation into the son.