This was a jihad-like terror attack in Canada that no one seems to know about
Author of the article:Joe Warmington
Published Jan 25, 2024 • Last updated 1 day ago • 5 minute read
A screengrab from video inside Edmonton City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.
A screengrab from video inside Edmonton City Hall on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024.
It’s not every day there is a jihadist-inspired terror attack in Canada related to Israel’s war in Gaza that few seem to know about.
But it did happen and the country is just fortunate no one was murdered in the process. The potential was definitely there.
This was an all-out Gaza-inspired, jihadist terror attack with gunfire and home-made bombs at Edmonton’s City Hall on Tuesday and not a word out of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about it so far. In fact, on X he was talking about being at the women’s professional hockey game in Ottawa.
This was a terrifying incident. Security video shows a man entering Edmonton’s City Hall wearing a Commissionaires Security jacket and carrying a long gun and appearing to shoot it. Police say he was “heavily” armed.
But no one seems to be talking about it much.
It’s almost like this potentially genocidal rampage was missed by the country. Or even covered up or softened in terms of its seriousness.
Certainly, when you compare the coverage to the reaction of media and politicians on the truckers’ Freedom Convoy or the arrests and trials of Tamara Lich, Chris Barber and Pat King or the Coutts Alberta four conspiracy to commit murder case, it’s a head scratcher how understated this incident has been so far when you weigh and compare the evidence.
What happened here is way more serious than anything that happened with the truckers protest. But you would never know that judging from the reaction of the the media and political class.
However things are spun about what happened in Edmonton Tuesday, this was clearly as dark and concerning as something can ever get. In addition to the horror of security video showing the armed man during his attack, a taped manifesto which included Arabic greetings was also discovered.
This was one close call to being something nobody could even attempt to downplay.
Let’s review what we know.
“At approximately 10:18 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2024, a male parked his vehicle in the City Hall underground parkade, then entered the building from the parkade access,” Edmonton Police say. “Once inside City Hall, he lit several handheld incendiary devices, believed to be Molotov cocktails, that caused one small fire outside an elevator. He then fired several rounds from a long gun into the ceiling, walls and windows.”
Thankfully “no one was struck by gunfire” and that a brave security officer knew what to do.
“The male then dropped the firearm on the floor and surrendered to a City Hall security Commissionaire, who detained him until police arrived moments later,” police said, adding they “and RCMP Tactical teams then worked for several hours to secure and clear the building of any further threats, escorting out citizens who had been sheltering in place in various locations throughout City Hall.”
The alleged terror suspect is Bezhani Sarvar, 28, himself a Canadian Corps of Commissionaires security guard but not at City Hall. In an orange jumpsuit he made his first appearance in court Thursday and has been remanded in custody until at least Feb. 2 when a bail hearing is expected to commence.
People have heard his voice in what is believed to be a home-made video. In the video the man, who is believed to have come to Canada in 2012 from Afghanistan, is taped suggesting people fight against “this corruption, into this genocide that’s going on in Gaza and throughout the world” and “inshallah (‘if God wills’ in Arabic), we will rise against you guys, and we’ll put you on trial.”
He also said, “Salaam-Alaikum, brothers and sisters, before I do my mission, I want you all to know that I am not a psychopath. I do not believe in bloodshed,” adding, “I am not one of these monsters that hurt children, that hurt innocents, and that promote wars all around the civilization of our society.”
He added “I’m just tired of seeing the tyranny and corruption taking over our society and our lives.”
Edmonton Police say it is “aware of a video circulating that may be related to this incident” and investigators are reviewing this video” along with the RCMP and INSET (National Security Enforcement Teams).
“Our officers are working closely with our national security partners on this investigation,” said Chief Dale McFee. “I would like to reassure the public that we believe there is no further threat to public safety at this time. The investigation is in its early stages, and we will continue to update Edmontonians as it progresses.”
McFee also said, “We believe this individual acted alone” and “believe there are no other accomplices.”
But how does anybody know for sure? We heard that same explanation in 2018 with Danforth shooter Faisal Hussain, who shot to death two young women on a July night and wounded 13 other people. Despite having connections to a brother before the courts and having earlier travelled to Pakistan, and sparing some in his bloody path, a conclusion was made that no one knew why he committed these heinous crimes. But there was so much carnage, there was no easy way to gloss it over.
The video manifesto in Edmonton reminds of the killer in the Cenotaph slaying of Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, a terror event at Parliament Hill that saw the terrorist tape a video.
In this week’s case, no one was hurt or killed, so there appears to be little interest in it.
But things could have turned out differently. What we do know is this was a terror attack at a hall of democracy that could have resulted in massive carnage and very few people are even talking about it.
B’nai Brith Canada says they are “deeply troubled” after learning of the “terrifying events that unfolded in Edmonton.”
“We fear that the perpetrator’s reference to the Israel-Hamas conflict in their manifesto will only lead to the further incitement against Canadian Jews in the midst of an unprecedented surge in antisemitic incidents,” Marty York, of B’nai Brith Canada, said.
jwarmington@postmedia.com
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This was an all-out Gaza-inspired, jihadist terror attack with gunfire and home-made bombs on Edmonton’s City Hall Tuesday
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