A Montreal man with a history of supporting the terrorist group al-Qaida is now confronting new criminal charges for allegedly threatening to destroy government buildings, adding to a separate case where he is accused of plotting a mass killing in the city.
New Threats from Behind Bars
Mohamed Abdullah Warsame, 52, appeared in court this week on two new counts. The charges stem from alleged threats made on November 20, 2024, while he was already incarcerated at the Rivière-des-Prairies Detention Centre. According to authorities, Warsame threatened employees of Passport Canada, stating he would "burn or destroy" the agency's buildings in both Montreal and Quebec City.
The investigation was handled by the Montreal police, and a warrant for his arrest on these new allegations was issued on December 30, 2024. He made his first court appearance on these charges on Wednesday.
Ongoing Case Involving Mass Killing Threat
These latest allegations come on top of a previous case from June 2024. At that time, Warsame was charged with uttering threats after the RCMP alleged he told an employee at the Old Brewery Mission that he intended to commit an attack with the goal of killing a large number of people in Montreal. The alleged threat reportedly involved setting off bombs in the city's metro system.
Warsame has been detained since his arrest in June. During a court hearing on Thursday, his defence lawyer, Leonard Waxman, requested a delay in that original case to continue discussions with the Crown. Quebec Court Judge Martin Chalifour agreed to set March 9, 2025, as the next date for both of Warsame's cases. Warsame appeared via video conference from the detention centre.
Waxman confirmed that Warsame has chosen to be tried by a judge alone in both matters and has waived his right to a preliminary inquiry.
A History of Terrorist Involvement
Court documents from a past U.S. criminal case reveal Warsame's deep connections to international terrorism. He told the FBI that he visited two al-Qaida training camps in Afghanistan and attended lectures given by the group's former leader, Osama bin Laden.
An affidavit states that Warsame described bin Laden as "very inspirational" and noted that he even sat next to him during a meal. In May 2009, Warsame pleaded guilty in a U.S. District Court in Minneapolis to providing material support to a foreign terrorist organization—al-Qaida. He was sentenced to 92 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. At the time of that conviction, he was a naturalized Canadian citizen of Somali descent.
The new charges underscore the ongoing security concerns posed by individuals with established links to terrorist networks, even while they are in state custody. The cases continue to proceed through the Quebec justice system.
