Terror suspect accused of threat to bomb police HQ
Charge laid after report by officer in station’s cellblocks
A suspected Ottawa terrorist arrested on Nov. 5 for breaching strict conditions of his peace bond is facing a new criminal charge after he allegedly threatened to bomb Ottawa police headquarters on Elgin Street.
Tevis Gonyou-McLean, who denies any links to ISIL or its supporters, has been charged by Ottawa police with uttering death threats after a special constable in the station’s cellblocks reported the alleged comments to a superior officer.
The bomb-threat charge stems from his Nov. 5 arrest.
Gonyou-McLean was originally arrested in August on RCMP fears that the Muslim convert would engage in terrorism. They didn’t charge him with terrorism offences but were granted a terrorism peace bond to restrict his movements.
In the August arrest — two days after ISIL-supporter Aaron Driver was killed in Strathroy, Ont., in a confrontation with police — Gonyou-McLean was also charged with uttering death threats to “unspecified persons.”
He was later arrested twice on a series of breaches of his release conditions — including allegations that he once smashed his GPS ankle monitor and another time managed to slip out of it.
While awaiting a bail hearing, the 25-year-old man, who has no criminal record, was housed in the same segregation cell as a 350-pound convicted sex offender who later beat him up after accusing Gonyou-McLean of stealing his candy.
Gonyou-McLean has told the Citizen he doesn’t know any ISIL sympathizers and only wants to pray and make pizza.
He won bail on Nov. 30 and was released under the same strict conditions, which also forbid him to communicate with Ottawa terror twins Ashton and Carlos Larmond. Gonyou-McLean says he went to Rideau High School with them but hasn’t seen them since.
His conditions also say he can’t access or view materials from any listed terrorist group, and must not possess any objects with an Islamic State logo.
His lawyers, Biagio Del Greco and Brett McGarry will say only that they look forward to taking the case to trial next year.
None of the charges against him has been proven in court.
In an interview, Gonyou-McLean said he’s being persecuted for simply exploring Islam.
“My life got turned upside down … I have lost all my friends, and I had a lot of friends,” he said.
“I’ve never even met anyone that has supported (ISIL) in any sense. I haven’t done anything.”
I’ve never even met anyone that has supported (ISIL) in any sense. I haven’t done anything.
TEVIS GONYOUMcLEAN