Four men, including members of the Canadian Armed Forces, are facing charges in Canada over an alleged plot to create an “anti-government militia” and “forcibly” seize land, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) says.
Police say three of the suspects took part in military-style training, shooting exercises and scouting operations in the Québec City area as part of their alleged plot.
The group are also alleged to have stored explosive devices, dozens of firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition, all of which were seized by the RCMP.
All four have been arrested and are due to appear in Québec City court on Tuesday, police said.
The men charged include Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, both from Québec City, as well as Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville.
The trio are accused of taking “concrete actions to facilitate terrorist activity,” the RCMP said in its news release.
A fourth man, 33-year-old Matthew Forbes of Pont-Rouge – a town nearly 28 miles (45km) west of Québec City – was also charged in relation to the alleged plot. He was accused of possessing firearms, some of which are prohibited in Canada, as well as explosives.
Police said a search conducted in January 2024 led to the seizure of 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms and accessories, nearly 11,000 rounds of ammunition and around 130 magazines. Night-vision goggles and military equipment were also found.
The RCMP did not specify what the suspects’ alleged motives were, but said the group had intended to “forcibly take possession of land in the Québec City area”.
The arrests come amid pressure on the Canadian military to combat extremism within its own ranks.
A 2022 report from the military’s advisory panel on systemic racism and discrimination found that the number of army members with ties to extremist groups was on the rise.
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