OTTAWA — A man accused of plotting a terror attack in Toronto could have his Canadian citizenship revoked, Immigration Minister Marc Miller suggested Wednesday.
Miller said he’s also ordered an internal review of how the man received his permanent residency and citizenship.
“Who knew what, when and how?” is what Miller told reporters he wants to find out, speaking Wednesday on the sidelines of an event in Nova Scotia.
“I hope to be able to provide answers in a relatively short timeline about what happened. I’m disgusted as any Canadian, but I have responsibility to get to the bottom of it, and I will.”
Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi, 62, and Mostafa Eldidi, 26, were arrested and charged last month with participating in terrorism activities in July in Toronto and York Region.
Police haven’t identified the intended targets of the alleged plot, but said the accused men were in the “advanced stages of planning a serious and violent attack.”
The elder Eldidi is also charged with possession of a weapon — identified in court documents as an axe — for a dangerous purpose in connection to the Islamic State, as well as allegedly committing aggravated assault outside of Canada for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with the Islamic State in 2015.
Media reports have alleged that incident was captured on video, and circulated by the ISIS propaganda branch.
That the man may be implicated in terrorist activities abroad is raising questions for the Liberal government about the security vetting of newcomers, and criticisms that it failed in this case.
Elements of the issue will now be under scrutiny by parliamentary committee after MPs agreed Tuesday to launch a study into both the specifics of the Eldidis’ case and the broader security screening process for permanent residency and citizenship applications.
Miller said that he may be limited in what he can disclose while the criminal case is before the courts, but added that Canadians deserve answers.
“I’m also going to take the next step, which is to start the preliminary work with the evidence at hand to look at whether the individual in question’s citizenship should be revoked,” he said.
The younger Eldidi is not a Canadian citizen, and the particulars of his immigration status remain unclear.
“We are waiting on confirmation of the status for Mostafa Eldidi. However, we can confirm, contrary to our earlier report, that he is not a Canadian citizen,” the RCMP told the Star on Wednesday.
He is also charged with possession of a weapon — a machete — for a dangerous purpose, for the benefit of, at the direction of or in association with the Islamic State terrorist group.
Judicial proceedings against the pair are only just beginning.
During their first court appearance, the father denied his son had any involvement, and the son also proclaimed he “didn’t do any of it.”
A Canadian’s citizenship can be revoked if it was obtained by false representation, fraud or knowingly concealing material circumstances, which could include if any of those grounds were used to obtain permanent residency — which can be a precursor to obtaining citizenship.
If someone is under investigation by the government for potential revocation, they are notified and have the opportunity to respond.
The Federal Court can also declare an individual inadmissible to Canada on grounds of security, violating human or international rights or organized criminality. The individual would then face deportation from Canada.
Conservative immigration critic Tom Kmiec said his party supports revocation in accordance with the law, calling the situation a “colossal security failure.”
“Trudeau and the Liberal government failed to protect our national security and our people,” Kmiec said in a written statement.
“They need to be open and transparent with Canadians in providing answers and it is up to this government to uphold the law and do its job.”
NDP immigration critic Jenny Kwan said the situation risks undermining confidence in Canada’s immigration system.
“People are rightfully furious and deeply concerned to learn that a man allegedly linked to a terrorist group and heinous terrorist acts was given Canadian citizenship,” Kwan said.
“This alarming failure only adds to the concerns that Canadians already have about Canada’s public safety and immigration system.”
The furor over the issue hearkens back to a heated political debate more than a decade ago about whether Canadian citizens convicted of terrorism ought to be able to keep their citizenship.
The previous Conservative government thought not, and passed a law allowing for the revocation of Canadian citizenship of dual nationals convicted of terrorism offences.
The first — and only — person to lose their citizenship under the law was Zakaria Amara, who was thought to be the ringleader of a plot to bomb downtown Toronto and one of the so-called Toronto 18.
In the 2015 federal election campaign, Conservative leader Stephen Harper and Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau clashed over the policy during a debate. Harper defended it, arguing the same is done for war criminals.
What Trudeau said next would become a political catchphrase almost immediately: “A Canadian is a Canadian is a Canadian,” he said, and that allowing for the revocation of citizenship devalues the citizenship of all Canadians.
The Liberals ultimately repealed the Harper-era provision which, among other things, also allowed Amara’s citizenship to be restored.
With files from Calvi Leon
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