A ‘lone actor’ attack on Jewish Canadians is ‘realistic’ risk: report
Global News
Canada’s Integrated Threat Assessment Centre says the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran has heightened an already present threat against Jewish Canadians and public officials.
Canada’s Jewish communities are facing the “realistic possibility” of extremist violence in the coming months, according to federal intelligence officials.
According to an internal report prepared by the Integrated Threat Assessment Centre (ITAC) and obtained by Global News, Jewish Canadians — including public officials — are facing a “heightened violent extremism threat environment” amid the U.S.-Israeli war in Iran.
The document noted that the nationwide terrorism threat level remains unchanged at medium, and the possibility of violence targeting public officials remains low.
However, in assessing open-source information, ITAC judged that some form of an attack against Jewish communities is possible.
“The most likely scenario of an attack targeting the Jewish community is a lone actor using unsophisticated methods against easily accessible targets,” the document, first reported by the Globe and Mail on Friday, read.
“Extremists will leverage the Middle East conflict to justify attacks on the Jewish community in Canada, and seek to incite violence. Violent rhetoric, hate crime and criminal intimidation of the Jewish community, including public officials, will very likely increase as the conflict continues.”
The unclassified document, prepared March 18, added that Canadian Jewish communities face a number of threats that don’t rise to the level of terrorism — including criminal harassment, intimidation and vandalism.
Those threats were already elevated compared with other religious groups before the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran on Feb. 28. While the joint surprise bombing campaign killed several key members of the Iranian leadership, including Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, the Iranians continue to fight back.
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