The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have apprehended a juvenile in Montreal over suspicions of involvement in terrorism activities. According to an official statement released on Friday, the RCMP indicated that the individual, described as a “young man,” was allegedly planning an attack on a local school within the city.

Reportedly, the suspect utilized artificial intelligence in the potential orchestration of the assault and disseminated threatening messages via the messaging platform Telegram, targeting various communities such as Muslims, Haitians, and 2SLGBTQ+. Sgt. Érique Gasse, a spokesperson for the RCMP, mentioned that the FBI had provided information a few weeks ago regarding the individual’s planned attack.

The arrest took place at the suspect’s residence on Friday morning as part of an investigation conducted by the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, a collaborative effort among multiple agencies aimed at monitoring and thwarting criminal activities linked to terrorist entities or individuals posing a threat to Canada’s national security.

The individual is presently in discussions with investigators, while other officials are conducting a search of his residence for electronic devices or any items pertinent to the investigation. The RCMP’s news release stated that the police operation sought to disrupt the suspect’s alleged activities and potentially implement a peace bond for monitoring and de-escalation measures.

Sgt. Gasse mentioned that the individual is scheduled to appear in youth court on Saturday morning, with the possibility of facing charges at a later stage.