A man who trained with Osama bin Laden before the September 11 attacks has been arrested in Montreal on charges of uttering threats to cause bodily harm. He was also previously convicted of terrorism in the United States.
Mohamed Abdullah Warsame, 51, appeared in a Montreal court on Thursday alongside his alleged victim.
According to the RCMP, Warsame allegedly threatened to kill “a large number of people” in Montreal. He now faces one count of uttering threats to cause death or bodily harm under the Criminal Code following an incident on May 26.
An employee of Old Brewery Mission, a Montreal homeless shelter, told local police that Warsame said he wanted to commit a large-scale attack and was “able to make explosives.”
Montreal police then informed the RCMP about the incident at which point the case was transferred to the federal police force’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team where the investigation remains ongoing.
He previously pleaded guilty in 2009 to charges of providing material assistance to al-Qaeda in 2000 and 2001 in federal court in Minneapolis.
His other terrorism charges were dismissed following his guilty plea.
“In the summer of 2000, he then travelled to the al Faruq training camp, where he received further training and met Osama bin Laden. Warsame subsequently worked at an al-Qaeda guesthouse and clinic,” reads a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Warsame was sentenced to nearly eight years in prison but served only about a year due to credit for time served while awaiting trial.
“Warsame frequently saw bin Laden himself at the camp, talking or even eating with the recruits. In fact, Warsame himself sat next to bin Laden and shared a meal,” states a summary of facts filed with the court.
“Warsame later told FBI agents that he found bin Laden very inspiring.”
He fought alongside the Taliban against their Northern Alliance enemies, using an AK-47 in combat. Warsame also admitted to training in martial arts, weapons use, and guerrilla operations.
Warsame maintained communication with several al-Qaeda contacts while living in Minneapolis between 2002 and 2003 and sent $2,000 to one of his former training camp commanders.
He fled his home country of Somalia at the age of 17 in 1989 at the age of 17 and travelled to Europe before residing in the Greater Toronto Area after being granted refugee status and ultimately Canadian citizenship.
Warsame will now undergo a psychosocial assessment to determine whether his mental health will be fit to stand trial.