The RCMP says four people, including active members of the Canadian Armed Forces, are facing charges after allegedly plotting to “forcibly take possession” of land in the Quebec City area. This RCMP handout image shows an example of seized military equipment.The Canadian Press
The Mounties in Quebec say they have arrested four people including active members of the Canadian Armed Forces as alleged terrorist extremist militia members who are accused of wanting to take over land near Quebec City.
Canada’s national police force said in a statement the four individuals will appear in court in Quebec City later today.
The RCMP “announces the arrest of and laying of charges against four individuals, including active members of the Canadian Armed Forces, who were allegedly involved in activities intending to forcibly take possession of land in the Québec City area,” the police force said in a statement.
The statement said the investigation was led by Quebec’s RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) squad.
The RCMP’s allegation is that Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, of Québec City, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, of Neuville, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25, of Québec City, took concrete actions to facilitate terrorist activity.
“The three accused were planning to create anti-government militia. To achieve this, they took part in military-style training, as well as shooting, ambush, survival and navigation exercises. They also conducted a scouting operation,” the RCMP statement said.
“A variety of firearms, some prohibited, as well as high-capacity magazines and tactical equipment were allegedly used in these activities.”
A fourth individual, Matthew Forbes, 33, of Pont-Rouge, faces charges including possession of firearms, prohibited devices and explosives.
The Mounties said that the probe traces back to searches conducted in January, 2024, in the Québec City area, which led to the seizure of 16 explosive devices, 83 firearms, 11,000 rounds of ammunition and other military equipment.
None of the allegations have been tested in court.
The Mounties allege that the accused were motivated by an extremist anti-authority, anti-government ideology that was out to carve an independent land.
“This morning we did the arrests,” said Corporal Erique Gasse of the RCMP in an interview.
He would not say how many of the suspects were serving military members.
In an interview Tuesday with The Globe, Staff Sergeant Camille Habel of the Quebec RCMP national security team said the accused allegedly diverted items from the military that were later recovered in raids on residential homes in January, 2024.
“Some military equipment was seized,” she said. But she would not specify whether this included firearms or explosive devices.
Staff Sgt. Habel said authorities monitored the suspects for months after the raids.
“At all times public safety and security was ensured,” she said. “Public safety will always be more important than laying charges.”
The Mountie spokeswoman would not explain the 18-month delay between raids and arrests. But she said the criminal case was pursued as a terrorism prosecution, and that may have contributed to the complexity of the allegations laid in court this morning.
While the accused in the case are alleged to have held anti-authority views, the RCMP is not saying what specific ideology was at play and nor are the Mounties speaking to what land, buildings or territories the accused are alleged to have been wanting to take over.
This will be the evidence in the court case.
“When it comes to ideologically motivated extremisms, it’s not clear cut — so people can gather a few different ideologies and make it their own,” Staff Sgt. Habel said. “I guess the main thing about the ideology is anti-authority is in there. In this case that is what it was. People can have a range of grievances from across the spectrum.”