Fourth man connected to Algeria attack
LONDON, ONT. — A fourth name has emerged in the tangled web of young Canadians sought for possible extremist connections in the aftermath of a deadly terrorist attack in Algeria this year.
Independent sources in Canadian security and government tell The Canadian Press that Mujahid Enderi, who goes by the anglicized name “Ryan,” a Libyan-Canadian from southwestern Ontario, is under investigation and being sought by police.
All of the sources requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the hunt for Enderi.
Enderi, from a devout Muslim family in London, Ont., dropped off the radar last year and is believed to have travelled overseas around the same time as three other young men from the same community, two of whom died in the siege at Tiguentourine Gas Plant, 1,600 kilometres southeast of Algiers.
Enderi attended the same high school as Ali Medlej, Xristos Katsiroubas and Aaron Yoon, but was several grades behind them.
The Jan. 16 attack and four-day siege on a gas facility ended with the deaths of 37 hostages and 29 terrorists. Medlej and Katsiroubas took part in and were killed in the deadly attack. Their bodies were identified by RCMP forensic specialists.
RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson would say little Friday about a fourth Canadian involved in the investigation into how Medlej and Katsiroubas joined the attack organized by an African offshoot of al-Qaida.
“We’re continuing to focus our investigation on anybody who may have contributed to their presence there,” Paulson said in Calgary.
“In that sense we still have an open book on what happened there.”
Government and security sources in Ottawa said they’re concerned that Enderi remains at large. Paulson said his investigation into the Canadian connection involves Mounties at home and around the world.
He also warned Canadians to be aware of the dangers this case highlights.
“It is a little frustrating because I don’t think people fully understand the phenomenon of homegrown radicalization,” he said. “It’s something I think we need to get serious about. We need to co-ordinate our efforts in our communities and make sure we’re able to prevent these things.”
Yoon, who didn’t go to Algeria, was arrested and is being detained in Mauritania. Authorities there say Yoon was recruited to train at an al-Qaida camp in northern Mali and had ties with al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, or AQIM. Yoon denied any terror connection in an interview with the CBC.
Enderi’s whereabouts remain a mystery to federal authorities. His association with the other young, radicalized men is equally murky, but security officials insisted there is a connection which agents are probing.
Enderi’s younger brother answered the door last week at the family residence in London and said he wasn’t there.
Ubada Enderi said he didn’t want to talk about his brother because he was worried about his words being taken “out of context.”
He did say that the young man was “definitely not” involved in the Algeria attack.