Three Toronto men charged after alleged street attacks targeting women and Jewish community; one faces ISIS-linked terrorism counts
Three Toronto men face charges after police say they hunted women and targeted Jewish people. RCMP have also charged one man with ISIS-linked terrorism offences.
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By Torontoer Staff
Three Toronto men have been arrested and charged after a joint investigation by Toronto police, Peel police and the RCMP found alleged attempts to abduct women and offences targeting members of the Jewish community. One of the men, Waleed Khan, 26, faces federal terrorism charges the RCMP say are linked to the Islamic State.
Police say the probe began after a series of armed, coordinated attacks in late spring and early summer. Local forces labelled the infections hate-motivated extremism and sought broader national security assistance as evidence expanded the scope of the case.
Charges and arrests
The RCMP’s Central Region Integrated National Security Enforcement Team laid federal charges against Khan that include participating in the activities of a terrorist group, facilitating terrorist activity, terrorist financing and conspiracy to commit murder in association with a terrorist group. Police documents name ISIS, also known as the Islamic State, as the terrorist entity.
Toronto police and Peel police also charged Khan along with two other Toronto men, Osman Azizov, 18, and Fahad Sadaat, 19. Peel Regional Police charged the pair in August with offences that include kidnapping, firearms offences and auto theft. Toronto police added charges across the three accused that include kidnapping, attempted kidnapping with firearms, conspiracy to commit sexual assault and hostage taking, all described as hate-motivated extremism.
Alleged incidents that triggered the probe
Police traced the investigation to three incidents in the GTA. On May 31, officers say three men approached a woman near Don Mills Road and Rochefort Drive. One man reportedly had a handgun and another had a knife. The suspects attempted to force her into a vehicle and fled when a passing motorist intervened.
On June 24 in Mississauga, Peel police say three masked men in an Audi SUV armed with a handgun, a rifle and a knife chased two young women on Ellesboro Drive near Swanhurst Boulevard and attempted to grab them. Again, bystanders interrupted the attack and the suspects fled.
Project Neapolitan and evidence gathered
Peel police connected the incidents and launched a joint investigation with Toronto police under the name Project Neapolitan. Investigators said evidence from those inquiries expanded to include offences motivated by hate and links to terrorism, prompting the separate RCMP probe.
Khan was arrested in the Mississauga matter on Aug. 18. Officers searched his Toronto residence and found two loaded prohibited firearms, an AR-style rifle capable of automatic fire and a pistol, both fitted with prohibited high-capacity magazines, plus more than 110 rounds of ammunition. Police say Khan was on probation for prior violent offences and was prohibited from possessing firearms at the time.
Sadaat and Azizov were arrested later in August. Police have said a court-imposed publication ban prevents disclosure of some investigative details.
What the police and RCMP said
We have arrested three individuals for offences targeting women and members of the Jewish community.
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw
What began as armed, coordinated attempts to kidnap women led to significant arrests and charges, stopping a dangerous escalation of hate-motivated crimes and terrorism across the Greater Toronto Area and beyond.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah
The evidence was of significant concern and from the outset public safety was treated as our highest priority. This case demonstrates our commitment to ensuring that those who threaten the safety of communities in Canada will be held accountable.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Matt Peggs
Community reaction and broader context
Jewish community leaders expressed relief at the arrests and called for sustained vigilance. Noah Shack, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, described the investigation as indicating a grave threat and urged urgency from political and security leaders.
This goes far beyond the safety of any one group. It is a matter of national security and public safety. There is a ticking time bomb in our country that our leaders must confront before it’s too late.
Noah Shack, Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs
Federal authorities tied the RCMP charges to alleged conduct between June 17 and Aug. 17. Khan was arrested again by the RCMP on Nov. 26 and detained on the federal terrorism charges, which include accusations of providing property and funds to benefit a terrorist group and using social media to that end.
Next steps and legal process
The RCMP said the investigation remains active. All three men now face provincial and federal court processes. Publication restrictions mean some evidence and identification details will remain sealed until authorized by the courts.
The arrests underscore how local violent incidents can prompt national security scrutiny when investigators identify links to extremist activity. Authorities say public safety is the priority as they pursue charges and additional evidence.
Court proceedings are ongoing and police have asked anyone with information about the incidents to come forward. Media restrictions apply to some material in the case under a court-ordered publication ban.
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