RCMP lay more charges in alleged Ottawa teen terror plot, charging ‘co-conspirator’

The RCMP announced Friday they are laying two additional charges against a young person the force arrested in late December on terror-related charges for allegedly plotting an attack on the Jewish community.

They have also charged a second young person as an alleged co-conspirator, the force said in a statement.

In the statement, RCMP Federal Policing Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) said the first person has remained in custody.

After an ongoing investigation, the youth received two additional charges on Feb. 15, for allegedly conspiring and agreeing to commit murder at the direction or in association with a terrorist group, and knowingly facilitating terrorist activity by “making available and exchanging instructional material and propaganda,” RCMP said.

As a result of the same investigation, the second young person is charged with trying to acquire a prohibited firearm to facilitate terrorist activity.

“A search warrant was subsequently executed at an Ottawa area home,” the RCMP said in its statement.

The allegations have not been proven in court.

2:47 Ottawa teen accused of anti-Jewish plot had ingredients for TATP bomb: RCMP

Both youths will appear in court in Ottawa on Friday.

Senior national security sources say the youths were influenced by ISIS-like ideology.

Outside the courthouse where the first youth appeared in December, the youth’s father – whom Global cannot identify, due to the accused’s age – said that his son had been becoming “more religious” and he had told him to stay away from “extremist people.”

“There are some people taking advantage of him,” he said.

“They are bad. They are not religious. They use religion. They use religion to achieve their goals, you know, their personal goals, private goals.”

The RCMP warned Friday of a “growing trend of violent extremism” and youth involvement.

— with files from Global News’ Alex Boutilier and Mackenzie Gray

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