MONTREAL — Canadian authorities have charged a man with past ties to al-Qaida following claims of threatening an attack. Mohammed Abdullah Warsame, now 51, allegedly verbalized a desire to create bombs for targeting public transit systems while conversing with an employee at a homeless shelter in Montreal. This led to him being charged with making threats.
During a court appearance, it was decided that Warsame should undergo a 30-day psychological evaluation, with a follow-up court appearance scheduled for July 7. Vincent Petit, the representative for Warsame, indicated to the court that there are doubts regarding Warsame’s criminal accountability in this matter.
Canadian authorities, specifically the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, have confirmed that this is the same Mohammed Warsame who previously spent five and a half years in solitary confinement in the United States. In 2009, Warsame entered a guilty plea in Minnesota for conspiracy to provide support and resources to al-Qaida, an organization the U.S. government links to the catastrophic 9/11 attacks. He was sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison, with credit for time served, before being deported to Canada in 2010.
The recent warnings surfaced when the Old Mission Brewery, managing multiple shelters in Montreal, contacted law enforcement following Warsame’s threatening remarks on May 27. Following psychiatric hospitalization, Warsame was arrested by federal authorities. As a Somali-born Canadian, Warsame’s history includes a plea agreement where he acknowledged traveling to Afghanistan in 2000 to attend al-Qaida training camps, even dining with the founder, Osama bin Laden. Subsequently, prosecutors revealed that Warsame sent funds to commanding figures from his training period and partook in militant efforts alongside the Taliban.
Settling later in Minneapolis, Warsame was accused of continuing to relay information to al-Qaida contacts. Prosecutors characterized him as a fervent jihadist, enjoying his militant training as a key life experience. Despite continuing his support for al-Qaida post-9/11, his associations reportedly ceased following his arrest in December 2003. Conversely, defense attorneys argued his impracticality, painting him as an ineffectual figure within the militant camps.
Warsame’s case notably extended over significant periods in the U.S. judicial system due in part to necessary security clearances for legal professionals involved. Retired agent Harry Samit, who led the investigation and currently works in a professional assessment company, recalls Warsame’s case as pivotal, following the famed case of Zacarias Moussaoui in Minnesota, the only individual to stand trial in the U.S. over the 9/11 attacks.
Samit highlighted the timing when discoveries about new al-Qaida activities surfaced amid preparations for Moussaoui’s trial. He conveyed certainty that Warsame operated as a passive operative, awaiting orders from al-Qaida hierarchy until identified by authorities. Describing Warsame as “goofy” yet committed to terrorist causes, Samit emphasized that such dedication saw him positioned in Minnesota for potential fundraising activities for al-Qaida.
Upon deportation, the FBI provided Canadian authorities with detailed reports about Warsame, deeming him a continued risk. Samit expressed minimal surprise upon hearing of Warsame’s recent allegations of being a threat, suggesting persisting security concerns remain justifiable.