‘Allah told me … to kill people,’ stabbing suspect said: police
TORONTO — A man who allegedly said Allah instructed him to kill was charged Tuesday with stabbing and wounding two uniformed soldiers at a north Toronto military recruitment centre a day earlier.
While investigators were probing possible terror links, the city’s police chief said there didn’t appear to be any connection to terrorist groups, although it seemed the man had deliberately targeted military personnel.
“To date, there is nothing to indicate the accused is working with anyone or in concert with any organization,” Chief Mark Saunders said. “It will take some time to have a complete picture.”
The mid-afternoon Monday incident occurred when a man walked into the government building that houses a Canadian Armed Forces recruitment centre at ground level.
He walked into an office with a “large knife” in hand and began striking a uniformed master corporal, who fell to the ground, Saunders said. The soldier was able to get to his feet, at which point the suspect slashed his right arm.
As military personnel moved civilians to safety, investigators said the man tried and f ailed to slash a female soldier before other soldiers were able to subdue him and hold him for police. Another military member was injured as they apprehended the suspect.
“While at the scene, the accused stated that ‘Allah told me to do this; Allah told me to come here and kill people,’” Saunders said.
Following the arrest, the accused became “non-responsive,” Saun- ders said, meaning he refused to answer any police questions.
Two soldiers needed treatment for minor injuries.
Police named the suspect as Montreal-born Ayanle Hassan Ali, 27, who moved to Toronto in 2011. At one point, they also spelled his first name as Ayanie, but offered no explanation for the mistake.
Ali was charged with a total of nine counts, according to court documents: three attempted murder, two aggravated assault, three assault with a weapon and possession of a dangerous weapon.
The accused hung his head and looked down at the floor for most of a court appearance Tuesday, saying his name quietly when asked. He was remanded until Friday.
“He just seems very scared right now and of course very, very unhappy to be in the position he finds himself in today,” his lawyer, David Burke, said outside court. “It’s a very, very difficult situation.”
Burke said he might seek bail for Ali on Friday if he can find strong sureties for the man.
The incident at the recruiting centre evoked memories of two separate attacks in 2014 that left two soldiers dead, one in Ottawa and another in Montreal. Investigators said both accused in those cases had become radicalized.
In a tweet Tuesday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Canada’s military would “not be intimidated by terror and hate.” He also wished the injured soldiers a full recovery.
Police were working with federal security and anti-terrorism forces on the Toronto investigation. At the same time, Saunders warned the public against any anti-Islam sentiment in the aftermath of the attack, saying Islamic extremists are relatively tiny in number.