The RCMP say information from the Somali community helped them arrest a former University of Toronto student for terror-related offences as he was about to board a flight at Pearson airport to Egypt and then Somalia.

Police seized undisclosed items from Mohamed Hersi, 25, of Toronto, before charging him with planning to participate in terrorist activities and counselling another person to do the same.

The former University of Toronto Scarborough campus health sciences student had been meeting “friends” for weeks at a local mosque who may have had an influence on him, some community members said.

RCMP Insp. Keith Finn said the suspect was allegedly travelling to Somalia to participate in terrorist activities.

“We believe he was on his way to join al-Shabaab and their criminal activity,” Finn told reporters at Toronto Police headquarters. “We will continue to work with partners to eliminate terrorist criminal activity in Canada and abroad.”

Finn said officers were able to obtain information about the suspect from the city’s Somali community.

The information led to a joint six-month investigation in October 2010, that was code-named Project Severe.

“The RCMP and Toronto Police were able to obtain numerous critical pieces of evidence required to lay criminal charges,” Finn said.

Toronto Police Supt. Tom Fitzgerald, of the service’s Intelligence Unit, said the accused left his job and was joining al-Shabaab.

“He was in preparation of going overseas,” Fitzgerald said. “We had great support from the community.” Officers said they’re concerned about the increasing amount of young people from the Somali community travelling abroad and becoming radicalized. They spread the fanaticism to their friends on their return to Canada.

The public is encouraged to contact the RCMP National Security Information Network at 1-800-420-5805 to report any suspicious activities that could pose a threat to national security.
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Toronto Sun

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