The federal government is increasing security at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and key public buildings after security agencies picked up intelligence reports of possible extremist “knife-and-gun” attacks in Canada.
CTV News learned of the new security measures as the federal public safety minister and the RCMP commissioner outlined homegrown terrorist threats that are under investigation.
RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson told a public safety committee on Wednesday that the force has about 63 active security investigations on 90 suspected extremists who intend to join fights abroad or who have returned to Canada.
Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney told the committee those individuals pose “a threat to our security at home,” and said the Mounties are looking to “put them behind bars where they belong.”
Also on Wednesday, NBC reported that potential terror attack targets in Canada ranged from an unnamed shopping mall to attacks on Americans or the U.S. Embassy, but those references were later removed from the story. The report quoted unnamed U.S. intelligence officials saying that the possible attacks were at the ‘‘aspirational’’ stage.
With a report from CTV’s Ottawa Bureau Chief Robert Fife and files from The Canadian Press
