World · North America · 2 hrs ago
Ottawa youth found guilty of two terrorism-related charges
An Ottawa youth was found guilty of two terrorism-related charges over a plan to kill Jewish people in the city in 2023.
The judge found the youth guilty of conspiring to commit murder through involvement with a terrorist group and of seeking to acquire a prohibited firearm.
The youth was found not guilty of a third charge involving making instructional material and propaganda available, because the judge was not convinced the youth intended to assist terrorist activity.
The youth was 15 when arrested in February 2024, and cannot be named because of a legal ban on identifying young people charged with crimes.
A Canadian Jewish advocacy group called for urgent action against radicalization, saying Jewish Canadians should not have to wait for a mass-casualty attack before available tools are used.
The Crown plans to seek an adult sentence for the youth.
An Ottawa youth was found guilty of two terrorism-related charges linked to an alleged 2023 plan to kill Jewish people.
Ontario Superior Court Justice Kerry McVey found the youth guilty of conspiring to commit murder through involvement with a terrorist group and seeking to acquire a prohibited firearm.
The youth was found not guilty of a charge related to making instructional material and propaganda available.
The youth had pleaded not guilty to all three charges and cannot be legally identified because of his age.
The Crown said it will seek an adult sentence.
- Who
- An Ottawa youth whose name cannot be published because of his age.
- What
- He was found guilty of two terrorism-related charges and not guilty of a third.
- When
- The verdict was reported on October 16, 2026.
- Where
- Ottawa, Ontario.
- Why
- The charges stemmed from an alleged 2023 plan to kill Jewish people.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The alleged conspiracy to commit murder took place.
The youth sought to acquire a prohibited firearm, according to the conviction.
The youth was arrested; he was 15 at the time.
The youth's trial began, after his co-accused was found guilty.
Justice Kerry McVey found the youth guilty of two charges and not guilty of a third.
- Charges
- Guilty of 2 of 3 charges
- Judge
- Kerry McVey
- Firearm charge
- Seeking to acquire a prohibited firearm
- Arrest
- February 2024, when he was 15
- Co-accused
- A second Ottawa teen was found guilty of four charges in April
3 sources
What people are saying
I find nothing in [the teen's] communications that reasonably suggests he was anything other than serious
The issue before me is not whether the content was offensive, alarming, or extremist in nature