A psychiatric evaluation has been ordered for Mohamed Abdullah Warsame, a 51-year-old man with a criminal history linked to terrorism. Warsame, previously convicted for providing material support to al-Qaida, has been charged with allegedly threatening to carry out an attack in Montreal. He reportedly expressed his desire to build bombs to detonate on public transit during an encounter with an employee at a homeless shelter.
Warsame was officially charged on Thursday, with accusations of uttering threats, and made a court appearance via videoconference. The following day, he appeared in person at the Montreal courthouse, where he was seen in handcuffs and walked slowly, dressed in a long green and yellow t-shirt. During this court session, a psychiatric evaluation was mandated, anticipated to take approximately 30 days, and is expected to be completed by July 7.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that Warsame had a significant legal background, having pleaded guilty in Minnesota in 2009 for providing support to the al-Qaida terrorist organization. Following his conviction, he was deported to Canada in 2010 and at the time of the alleged threats had no fixed address.
The incident came to light on May 27, when the Old Brewery Mission—an organization running multiple homeless shelters in Montreal—reported Warsame's remarks to the Montreal police. He reportedly discussed intentions to execute an attack aimed at killing a considerable number of people. In response to these alarming statements, the Old Brewery Mission expressed their appreciation for the alertness exhibited by their employees, who are trained to identify potentially dangerous behaviors or speech. They emphasized their ongoing collaboration with law enforcement.
Warsame had a history of mental health crises leading to hospitalization prior to his arrest by the RCMP on Wednesday afternoon. His criminal past dates back to 2000, when he traveled to Afghanistan to attend al-Qaida training camps, where he met the organization's founder, Osama bin Laden. After his training, he sent money to a commander of his training camp and later moved to Minneapolis. There, he continued to provide information to al-Qaida associates and was ultimately arrested in December 2003.
In 2009, he received a sentence of 92 months in federal prison, with credits for the time he had already served. His deportation to Canada occurred in October 2010, and since his return, he has been living without a permanent residence.
This situation has raised concerns about public safety and the effectiveness of services available to individuals with troubled pasts. The vigilance displayed by the employees at the Old Brewery Mission has highlighted the critical nature of communication and cooperation between community services and law enforcement in addressing potentially dangerous situations.
