Canada—RCMP say they’ve thwarted a terrorist plot that could have seen pressure-cooker bombs explode near the crowds of families and children outside the B.C. legislature on Canada Day.


Former Victoria resident John Stewart Nuttall, 38, and his partner, Amanda Marie Korody, 30, are charged with conspiring together or with others to place an explosive in a government facility with intent to cause death or serious bodily injury for the benefit of a terrorist group and facilitating a terrorist group between March 2 and July 2, 2013. They are also charged with possessing an explosive substance with intent to endanger life or cause serious damage to property for the benefit of a terrorist group between June 25 and July 2.

Two of the three charges carry a maximum sentence of life in prison.

The improvised bomb was filled with rusted nails, which would have been sprayed among the crowd had they exploded as intended.

At a press conference in Surrey this morning, RCMP revealed details of the terrorist plot and five-month investigation. “Project Souvenir” was co-ordinated by the RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams in B.C. and included the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and local law enforcement.

“This threat was very real,” said RCMP Assistant Commissioner James Malizia, who is responsible for federal policing operations. He added that police were monitoring the couple’s actions and ensured that the devices were not able to explode. He said the two were inspired by al-Qaida ideology but the threat was domestic and had no “international linkages.”

Nuttall’s lawyer, Victoria’s Tom Morino, said his client had converted to Islam and had embraced the Muslim faith, but added that the alleged offences are “absolutely unrelated” to any mosque group or any other established organization. “I am not aware of any mosque with which he is affiliated.”

Photos of the devices showed them to be pressure-cooker style explosives. Malizia said there was no connection to the Boston Marathon bombings, where similar devices were used.

RCMP Assistant Commissioner Wayne Rideout said that as the devices were constructed, police “were in very tight control.”

“We were confident that public risk was absolutely minimized and that we were in a situation where we were very much in control and able to mitigate any risk to property or the public’s safety.”

Rideout said the goal of the plot was to “create maximum impact and harm to Canadian citizens at the B.C. legislature on a national holiday.”

“Through our [technology], we were able to ensure that the devices constructed were unable to detonate and cause harm to other individuals.”

The RCMP had been monitoring Nuttall and Korody since receiving information on their activities from CSIS in February. The couple reside in Surrey, but Nuttall is a former Victoria resident with a drug history.

They were arrested Monday at 2 p.m. in Abbotsford without incident. It’s not clear when or how the devices were placed at the legislature.

Premier Christy Clark said she was told of the alleged plot on Monday.

“What I know is they placed these bombs around the parliament buildings,” she said outside the legislature after the RCMP press conference Tuesday afternoon. “They appear to be powerful devices. My strong suspicion is they hoped to damage the buildings and the people around it. My suspicion is they wanted to cause as much damage as they possibly could, because they want to be able to take control of our streets, our cities, our institutions, and we will not allow that.”

Many people will assume the target was innocent civilians outside the building, Clark said.
She said Speaker Linda Reid will likely launch a review of security at the legislature, but the incident should not change the way the legislature grounds are used by British Columbians.

On Canada Day, more than 40,000 people gathered in the Inner Harbour and legislature lawn for concerts and fireworks.

“We cannot let this event change who we are and how we use this public space,” Clark said. “This space, this building belongs to the people of British Columbia, and we are not going to let it belong to them. We will not be ruled by fear, we will not allow them to take it away from us.

“We will not let them win. We will not let them strike fear into our hearts. These public spaces belong to us the people and we’re going to keep them.”

Morino said Nuttall contacted him Monday from Surrey, where he is being held.

“My understanding is a suspicious package was left at the legislature yesterday,” Morino said. “The suspects then returned to the Lower Mainland where they were arrested.

“I am assuming there was no need to alert anyone to evacuate the grounds as the authorities were aware it was not a real explosive device.”

Morino said he spoke to Nuttall for quite some time on Monday night about the allegations. Morino said he hasn’t yet had a chance to review the police materials.

“In the fullness of time, everything will come out ... This has involved a fairly significant and extensive investigation.”

Nuttall and Korody were to appear in Surrey provincial court on Tuesday, Morino said. “I explained to the RCMP for logistical reason I couldn’t be there today, but I presumed that duty counsel would appear and adjourn the matter over and I’ll speak to my client again this evening.”
Morino said he has represented Nuttall on relatively minor matters.

“He told me he was going to move to the Lower Mainland and obviously he has.”

Morino said he has met Korody several times.

“She and John were in a romantic relationship. She and John may even be husband and wife at this stage,” Morino said.

Federal Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said the investigation is an example of “productive intelligence sharing” between Canada’s law enforcement agencies.

“Yesterday's arrests demonstrate terrorism continues to be a real threat to Canada,” he said.

Toews said he was assured by RCMP that at no time were people at risk outside the legislature during the police operation.

NDP Leader Adrian Dix, who was briefed on the arrests Tuesday morning, expressed his gratitude to the RCMP and the Canadian Security Intelligence Service for thwarting the alleged terrorist plot.

Dix noted that a cousin in his father’s family died in the Lockerbie disaster in 1988, while his wife’s aunt and uncle were killed in the Air India bombing in 1985.

“In our families, we’ve had some experience with terrorist attacks on innocents, so one can only say how grateful we are that people weren’t injured, that lives weren’t lost here, and that people will be held accountable in a court of law for their actions,” he said.