Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Student held as six are shot dead during prayers in Quebec mosque
A STUDENT was being held last night over the killing of six Muslim people during prayers at a Quebec mosque.
The attack on Sunday night came the day after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned Donald Trump’s Muslim travel ban.
Laval University political science student Alexandre Bissonnette, 27, was detained shortly after the killings at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Centre.
A second man who was held by police is now being treated as a witness, rather than a suspect.
No one else is being sought in relation to the killings, police said.
The victims died as they prayed, said witnesses inside. Police added that 19 others inside were injured, five of whom were last night in a critical condition.
Canadian authorities are treating the shooting as a terror attack.
CONFESS
Mr Trudeau said: “We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge.
“Muslim-canadians are an important part of our national fabric and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country.”
Sgt Christine Coulombe said those who died ranged in age from 35 to 70.
Automatic weapons and handguns were recovered by police.
Some reports said a suspect called emergency services to “confess to his crime” because he “felt bad” about the killings and wanted to shoot himself.
The mosque has been a target for racist attacks over the past year.
Last July, in the middle of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, a gift-wrapped pig’s head was left at the front door with a note saying, “bonne appetit”.
The consumption of pork is prohibited in the Muslim faith.