Bomb threats rattle Concordia
MONTREAL • Three Concordia University buildings in downtown Montreal remained closed Wednesday after the institution received bomb threats targeting Muslim students.
Classes were disrupted for several hundred students as authorities searched the facilities for explosive devices.
Police ended their sweep early in the afternoon but the buildings were to remain closed until at least 6 p.m. EDT. No suspicious objects were found on the premises, said Montreal police spokesman Benoit Boisselle.
In a letter sent to several media outlets, a group threatened to detonate “small artisanal explosive devices” once a day until Friday in order to injure Muslim students.
The group, which described itself as a chapter of the Council of Conservative Citizens of Canada, or C4, complained about Muslim prayer services on campus and demanded the school stop “religious activities of all kinds.”
Premier Philippe Couillard described the letter’s content as “reprehensible” and said his government was monitoring the situation.
“My first concern is the safety of the young people, the students,” he told reporters northeast of Quebec City.
“There doesn’t seem to be a worry at the moment, but we are following this very, very closely.”
Concordia president Alan
MY FIRST CONCERN IS THE SAFETY OF THE YOUNG PEOPLE, THE STUDENTS.
Shepard held a news conference to say he had been in touch with Muslim student leaders.
“With the Muslim student association, we have a good relationship,” he said. “They have good leadership and we’re in close contact with them.”
Shepard said he had no knowledge of reports that a letter warning of bomb threats was circulating Tuesday night.
He denied it took too long to empty the buildings.
“These are large complex buildings and we want to evacuate everyone safely,” he said. “And we did it as soon as we safely could.”
In Toronto on Wednesday, police were investigating an attempted arson that occurred at an Islamic centre the night before.
Fire officials were called to the Reign of Islamic Da’wah Islamic Information Centre in the city’s west end at about 11 p.m. Tuesday. The damage was minor — a small circular burn on the roof. But a gas canister was found, prompting an investigation.
The incident came as a surprise to the mosque’s administrator, who said the centre had never experienced problems in the past.
“Honestly, I have no idea who could have done something like this, but if it was intentional and a hate crime, then this is unacceptable,” Muneeb Aden said.
Police were investigating whether the mosque fire was connected to an arson at a nearby massage parlour around the same time. A local Masonic Temple was also targeted on Tuesday, but a suspect in that incident was in custody at the time of the mosque fire.