‘Colossal failure:’ Conservatives call for probe into how Canada let in suspect with alleged ISIS ties

OTTAWA — The Opposition Conservatives on Tuesday called for a parliamentary committee to probe how a man charged with terrorism offences entered Canada with alleged ISIS ties.

House leader Andrew Scheer made the call following a report from Global News last week based on unnamed sources that 62-year Ahmed Eldidi immigrated to Canada after having allegedly been involved in committing violence against an ISIS prisoner back in 2015, according to a video.

The RCMP confirmed to the National Post on Tuesday that Ahmed Eldidi is a Canadian citizen while his son Mostafa Eldidi, who is also facing charges, is not.

“This is a colossal failure,” Scheer told reporters in Ottawa. “Canadians have a right to know what went wrong, how this individual gained entry into Canada and obtained Canadian citizenship.”

Scheer said he has not seen the video himself but has relied on media reports. Postmedia has also not viewed the video.

Nonetheless, Scheer said the situation demands the government and relevant security agencies answer for how an individual with alleged ISIS ties was able to enter Canada.

“It’s totally within their purview to inform Canadians how people associated with ISIS, who participated in a gruesome and horrific torture video were allowed into Canada (and) whether there are other individuals who may have links to terrorist organizations that are currently at large in Canada,”  he said.

“This is a shocking and disturbing event.”

Scheer called for the governing Liberals, as well as New Democrats and Bloc Québécois to support the Conservatives in recalling a parliamentary committee to investigate the matter, which he says would include hearing from Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Immigration Minister Marc Miller.

Citing federal privacy legislation, the government said it cannot discuss individual cases.

“The Conservatives would rather risk undoing the tremendous work of our security agencies just to score a few political points. The people who work tirelessly to keep Canadians safe deserve better from their elected representatives,” the ministers’ offices said in a joint statement late Tuesday.

It added the Mounties have shared what can be divulged publicly.

“We will leave it to them to do their work and ensure that those who would seek to threaten the safety of our country be held responsible for their actions.”

Last week, the RCMP announced officers had laid terrorism charges against Ahmed Eldidi and his 26-year-old son Mostafa Eldidi, whom police say were “in the advanced stages of planning a serious, violent attack in Toronto,” before their arrest at a hotel in Richmond Hill.

Both were charged were facilitating terrorist activity, possession of a weapon for dangerous purposes, conspiracy to commit murder and participating in the terrorist group ISIS. The pair were in possession of an axe and machete, said the RCMP.

Ahmed Eldidi also faces one count of aggravated assault stemming from an incident that happened outside of Canada in 2015 in service of ISIS. RCMP Supt. James Parr told reporters during last week’s news conference that he was not on police radar before early July when it began investigating the potential of an attack in Toronto. 

The RCMP said on Tuesday it was awaiting confirmation on the immigration status of his son Mostafa Eldidi, but confirmed “that he is not a Canadian citizen.”

Speaking at an unrelated news conference in Yellowknife, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said the case raises serious questions.

“I think the concern is a very legitimate concern that shows a gap in our immigration system,” he said on Tuesday.

“We need to find answers for why this happened and how we can prevent it in the future.”

National Post [email protected] x.com/StephTaylornews

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