Canadian police bust largest-ever terrorist weapons stash; 4 arrested.

Police in Canada have arrested and charged four individuals, including active military members, for allegedly planning to form an anti-government militia and forcibly seize land in Quebec. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated that the group engaged in military-style training, shooting exercises, and scouting operations to facilitate terrorist activity.

The accused individuals are Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, of Quebec City, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville, Raphaël Lagacé, 25, of Quebec City, and Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge. Forbes has been charged with possession of firearms, prohibited devices, and explosives. The four suspects have not yet entered pleas.

During searches in January 2024, police discovered a significant amount of weapons and equipment in Quebec, including 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms, 11,000 rounds of ammunition, and other military gear. The investigation was conducted by Quebec's RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Team squad with assistance from local law enforcement.

Jessica Davis, a former intelligence analyst and president of Insight Threat Intelligence, described the seized cache as the largest ever found in a terrorist incident in Canada. She highlighted the substantial amount of military equipment and devices recovered, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.

The RCMP shared images from one of the accused's social media profile, which aimed to recruit new members to the anti-government militia. Davis noted that in Canada, most terror attacks in recent years have been carried out by ideologically motivated violent extremists, such as anti-Muslim, 'Incel', or anti-government groups. The accused individuals were scheduled to appear in a Quebec court, with none of the charges having been tested in court yet.