HALIFAX – Halifax police have charged a 54-year-old man, identified as Ali Assakereh, with making a bomb threat against the local U.S. Consulate. This threat prompted a temporary evacuation of several downtown streets in Halifax on Monday. According to the authorities, Assakereh is set to appear in provincial court, where he will face charges of uttering threats and public mischief.
The police became aware of the bomb threat on the night of August 8, 2026. The following morning, they discovered Assakereh's vehicle parked near the U.S. Consulate. Inside the vehicle, they found a propane tank and containers suspected of containing flammable liquids, raising initial concerns about public safety. However, an explosives expert later assessed the situation and determined that the items found did not pose a threat, allowing the police to lift the evacuation orders by 2 p.m. on Monday.
Assakereh's address is located in Halifax, as confirmed by the charge sheet presented in court. Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa issued a statement indicating that U.S. officials would refrain from commenting on the ongoing security matter due to the active police investigation.
This incident in Halifax follows recent security concerns regarding U.S. diplomatic missions in Canada. Last week, two suspects were charged for shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto. The shooting occurred in July and involved a 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy, who are now facing over a dozen charges linked to a criminals-for-hire operation. This marked the second shooting incident targeting the consulate this year.
On March 10, the same consulate faced gunfire from two suspects, resulting in multiple shots directed at the building. Two individuals, an 18-year-old and a 19-year-old, have been charged in relation to that incident as well. In light of these occurrences, RCMP Chief Supt. Chris Leather has characterized the recent shootings as “national security incidents,” underscoring that consulates in Canada necessitate a heightened level of vigilance.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported during either of the shooting incidents. Furthermore, in May, an Iraqi national, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, was accused in the United States of plotting terrorist attacks in response to the ongoing conflict between the U.S. and Israel against Iran. Al-Saadi also faces allegations of involvement in attacks within Canada, including the preceding March shooting at the Toronto consulate.
U.S. prosecutors have claimed that Al-Saadi directed and encouraged individuals to target U.S. and Israeli interests, advocating for violence against Americans and Jews. On May 15, 2026, he was charged in a Federal Court in New York with providing material support to Iran-backed terrorist organizations, conspiring to commit acts of terrorism, and conspiring to bomb public places. It is important to note that none of the charges against Al-Saadi have yet been tested in a court of law.
This report encompasses serious security implications for U.S. diplomatic missions in Canada, indicating a troubling trend of threats and violence that have raised alarms among law enforcement and security officials.
