Public Safety Minister: Car strike against soldiers a terror attack







MARTIN COUTURE-ROULEAU AFTER BEING RADICALIZED

VIDEO REPORT AT LINK


MAXIME DELAND | QMI AGENCY

  • Updated
    12:04 pm, October 21st, 2014
  • 1:17 pm, October 20th, 2014


SAINT-JEAN-SUR-RICHELIEU, Que. - The car attack that killed a Canadian soldier near Montreal is "clearly linked to terrorist ideology," Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said Tuesday.

Speaking in this military town where a soldier was killed and another was injured Monday, Blaney denounced the "terrible act of violence against our country, against our military, against our values."

Authorities say a radicalized Quebec man ran the soldiers down near a Service Canada outlet that includes a Veterans Affairs office and recruitment centres for the Canadian Forces and the RCMP.

"What took place yesterday (Monday) is clearly linked to terrorist ideology," Blaney told reporters.

"That's why we are offering the support of the RCMP in the ongoing investigation."

Police shot and killed the attacker, Martin "Ahmad" Couture-Rouleau, 25.

Blaney wouldn't say if the attacker was working alone, but did say federal law enforcement agencies "take the terrorist threat seriously."

"This drama is a painful reminder that this threat is very real," the minister said. "All federal law enforcement agencies are closely monitoring the situation in order to keep Canadians safe."

Several local media outlets identified the deceased soldier as Patrice Vincent, 53. He was a member of 438 Tactical Helicopter Squad, based out of St. Hubert, Quebec.

Couture-Rouleau led police on a chase after mowing down the soldiers - one in uniform, one in plain clothes - in the parking lot outside Service Canada. He lost control and rolled his car, which came to rest on its roof at the bottom of a ditch.

The suspect allegedly crawled out a window with a long knife and a witness said he charged at a female police officer.



The Prime Minister's Office said Couture-Rouleau had become "radicalized" and was known to federal authorities, including the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.

"As Canada's national security agencies have said, Canadians should remain vigilant," the PMO said in a statement late Monday.

"I want to express that the authorities can count on our full support in order to get to the bottom of this terrible act," Prime Minister Stephen Harper added Tuesday.

The PMO said Stephen Harper was briefed by RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Tom Lawson and National Security Adviser Stephen Rigby.

The prime minister said the attack left him "troubled."

Couture-Rouleau became known to the RCMP after a relative alerted police to the man's terrorist leanings, a police source told QMI Agency.

A neighbour told QMI Agency Couture-Rouleau had grown out his beard and started wearing a turban after converting to Islam a year ago.

It appears the suspect posted jihadist propaganda to the Internet under the name Ahmad Rouleau.

An Ahmad Rouleau Facebook page, created in May 2013, includes verses from the Qur'an.

Couture-Rouleau led police on a chase after mowing down the soldiers - one in uniform, one in plainclothes - in the parking lot of an auto-insurance outlet. He lost control and rolled his car, which came to rest on its roof at the bottom of a ditch in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, 30 minutes south of Montreal.

The suspect allegedly crawled out a window with a long knife and an eyewitness said the man charged at a woman police officer.

"I heard them (police) shout several times, 'Get out of the car, get out of the car and raise your hands,'" the woman said.

"The man got out and charged towards the policewoman. Then that's when we heard seven gunshots, then the man was on the ground."

Another witness said the suspect put his hands up at first, then "charged like a bull" towards the policewoman before seven or eight gunshots rang out.

A knife could be seen stuck in the grass near the flipped car. A curved, ornamental handle protruded into the air.
Speaking Monday afternoon in the House of Commons, Tory MP Randy Hoback asked about "unconfirmed reports of a possible terror attack against two members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

"Can the Prime Minister please update this House on this matter?"

Harper replied: "We are aware of these reports that are very troubling. Our thoughts and our prayers are with the victims and the families.

"We are following the situation very closely and will make available all of the resources of the federal government."
The soldiers were hit less than 3 km from the French-language Royal Military College Saint-Jean.

-With files from Brian Daly, Marie-Laurence Delainey

(PHOTOS VIA MAXIME DELAND/QMI AGENCY)











http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/sunnews/canada/archives/2014/10/20141020-131709.htm

"The man got out and charged towards the policewoman. Then that's when we heard seven gunshots, then the man was on the ground."
Good to hear that a woman put him down. Bad juju for Islamists....