Expert says Ottawa attacks have all the earmarks of a terrorist plot

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      A University of Ottawa security expert has told CBC Radio that today's terrorist attacks in the national capital were organized.

      "Clearly this was a plot," Wesley Wark told Anna Maria Tremonti.

      He mentioned that as many as three shooters may have been involved. That means there must have been a plan to acquire weapons.

      He said that events this week, which also included an ISIS supporter using a motor vehicle to kill a soldier in Quebec, show that authorities will have to "recalibrate" their attention on homegrown terrorism.

      "The focus has been recently on the foreign fighter phenomenon," Wark told CBC Radio.

      Ottawa remains under lockdown.

      This morning just before 7 a.m. Pacific time, a gunman shot a soldier dead outside the National War Memorial.

      The attacker reportedly vaulted over a wall and ran toward Parliament Hill.

      There were also shots fired inside Parliament Hill in Centre Block before the gunman was shot and killed.

      There have also been reports of shooting heard near the Rideau Centre, which isn't far from Parliament Hill. [After this article was posted, the Ottawa Police Service said that contrary to these reports, "no incident occurred near the Rideau Centre."]

      CBC Radio has reported that three people have been taken to an Ottawa hospital and two are in stable condition.

      The domestic terrorism has occurred after Canada decided to join a U.S.-led coalition conducting air strikes on ISIS targets.

      The RCMP is expected to hold a news conference at 10:40 a.m. Pacific time.

      Comments

      10 Comments

      Hypie\

      Oct 22, 2014 at 4:45pm

      All that will happen is the media/politicians and multiculti brigade will bombard the public with NAMALT reminders (not all muslims are like that). And how much Islam is a religion of peace, and we should all be counting our blessings that our countries are covered in mosques spreading their message of peace and love.

      Same thing occurred after 7/7 London tube bombings & Drummer Lee Rigbys beheading in Woolwich.

      H\

      IceManLikeGervin

      Oct 22, 2014 at 8:18pm

      In the words of Public Enemy- Don't Believe The (Media) Hype......

      Shelley Fabares

      Oct 22, 2014 at 11:45pm

      Thank goodness we have billions of dollars worth of new fighter planes arriving soon to help us keep our Food Banks lineups single file and homeless people moving along. Obviously, these madmen hate our freedoms and the locks on our dumpsters. I say - put a Hooters in Kabul and leave it at that.

      Dylan

      Oct 23, 2014 at 12:12pm

      Clearly, this "expert" is an idiot.

      JF

      Oct 23, 2014 at 1:10pm

      So, where'd the multiple shooters go?

      Kill all terrorists..

      Oct 23, 2014 at 1:10pm

      No matter what the cost...

      OMG

      Oct 23, 2014 at 3:16pm

      I decided to wait until more facts came out before thinking a lot of about this incident. I hated the fact that so many of thew news outlets, online mags and papers were using headings such as "CANADA LOSES ITS INNOCENCE". As it turns out, there is little difference between this event and the Denis Lortie shooting spree in the Quebec Assembly many decades ago. There is little difference between it and the many murder sprees carried out yearly by guys off their rockers and with a chip on their shoulders.

      Let's not start surrounding every building and everybody with armed guards. Sooner or later we will have ourselves a genuine Islamist bloodbath, but until then enjoy life and stop looking over your shoulder. Relax.

      Disgusted of of Tunbridge Wells

      Oct 23, 2014 at 4:42pm

      Having lived with terrorism, in the guise of the IRA, for most of my life. I really must question the expertise of the "expert." I Looked him up and found this on Rate my Professor: " By far the most arrogant man I've met in my life." the posts following concur. I agree it was clearly a plot, just as I'm plotting to have a kebab on the way back from work. It didn't take 3 of me to do that. one last thing sort your bloody tie out! Looks like hes just been released from the drunk tank.

      Shelley Fabares

      Oct 25, 2014 at 7:48am

      My goodness. Look at that. It turns out that this guy *was* dealing with intermittent homelessness, that he did have mental health issues and that yes, his drift towards Islam was precipitated by his deep need to find a place to fit in, that would accept him. Turns out he couldn't use the vaunted Canadian safety net to help him deal with his issues, because Canadians actually don't give a flying shit about remedying homelessness, drug addiction or mental illness. So it turns out that the remark of using the military to fight a non-existent problem, while ignoring (for 30 years and counting) an existing one hold up remarkably well.
      As the saying goes - "Called it."