One of three men accused of a disturbing plot to kidnap women and target Toronto's Jewish community entered Canada as an illegal border-crosser and remained in the country for years after his refugee claim was rejected, according to an exclusive investigation.
From Rejected Claim to Serious Charges
Osman Azizov, an 18-year-old Azerbaijani national, is currently out on bail while facing multiple kidnapping and hate crime charges alongside two other individuals. The charges stem from what police described as "armed, coordinated attempts to kidnap women" from city streets and plans for violence against the Jewish community.
Newly uncovered documents reveal that Azizov's presence in Canada is the result of a prolonged immigration and security oversight. He first arrived in 2017 with his family by illegally crossing the border into Quebec near Lacolle.
A Cascade of Border and Immigration Failures
Azizov's entry placed him in the initial wave of what became an unprecedented surge of "irregular border-crossers." This surge began shortly after a 2017 social media statement from then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which declared Canada would welcome those fleeing persecution "regardless of your faith." This message was widely seen as a response to U.S. President Donald Trump's refugee admissions ban.
By the end of 2017, Canadian authorities were tracking an average of 76 such crossings per day. Azizov's family filed an asylum claim, which was rejected in 2018. Subsequent appeals to the Refugee Appeal Division and the Federal Court were exhausted by 2019.
Despite the failed claims, Azizov was not removed from Canada. In 2024, he reportedly qualified to stay on "humanitarian and compassionate considerations," granting him permanent resident status at the time of his arrest.
Political and Security Repercussions
The case has ignited fierce political debate and raised alarm over national security. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre stated on social media platform X, "This guy’s phoney refugee claim was rejected almost a decade ago and he’s still in Canada causing chaos. The Liberals will never fix immigration or the border — they broke both."
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs also expressed grave concern, stating the situation "goes beyond confidence in the justice system" and "raises serious public safety and national security concerns."
The revelations, based on records obtained by Global News journalist Stewart Bell, highlight critical questions about Canada's border enforcement, the processing of failed asylum claimants, and the mechanisms that allowed an individual with a rejected claim to remain in the country for six additional years before his alleged involvement in a serious criminal plot.
