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🇮🇱 Israel /Crime & Justice

Youth being recruited to carry out shootings against Jewish, US targets, Toronto police chief says

From Jerusalem Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Young people are being recruited via encrypted messaging apps to carry out shootings against targets in Toronto, including Jewish sites and the US consulate.
  • Police are investigating the pattern, which involves criminals for hire filming their attacks, and are collaborating with the RCMP and FBI to identify those paying for the acts.
  • The recruitment networks extend beyond Toronto and are considered national or international in scope, prompting calls for legislative reform to intercept encrypted communications.

Toronto's police chief, Myron Demkiw, revealed on Tuesday that young individuals are being hired through encrypted messaging applications to perpetrate shootings targeting various locations in the city. These targets include Jewish schools, synagogues, and the U.S. consulate.

Through encrypted messaging apps, young people are hired to carry out attacks against various targets. And in order to get paid, they're required to film their attacks.

— Myron DemkiwToronto's police chief explaining the modus operandi of the recruitment for shootings.

Demkiw stated that the modus operandi involves "criminals for hire" who are required to film their attacks to receive payment. He emphasized that police, in conjunction with the RCMP and FBI, are actively investigating the identities of the individuals or groups orchestrating these acts and providing the funding. "What I can tell you is that we are still working actively to investigate who is responsible for orchestrating these criminal acts," Demkiw said.

What I can tell you is that we are still working actively to investigate who is responsible for orchestrating these criminal acts.

— Myron DemkiwToronto's police chief addressing the ongoing investigation into who is funding the attacks.

Chief Superintendent Joe Matthews indicated that the encrypted apps currently identified include WhatsApp, Telegram, and Signal, with expectations of uncovering more. He described the investigations as "very complex" and highlighted the need for legislative reform to enable the interception of encrypted communications through judicial authorization. Matthews confirmed that these recruitment networks extend beyond Toronto, operating at national and potentially international levels.

These are very complex investigations. That's why we are supporting our federal and provincial partners with legislative reform to allow us to be able to intercept encrypted apps, obviously through judicial authorization.

— Joe MatthewsChief Superintendent Joe Matthews discussing the complexity of the investigations and the need for legislative changes.

Matthews added that "for sure" the networks go beyond Toronto's scope and are national, if not international. He also noted that "it is clear that some of the people hiring these criminals want to create a sense of fear in our communities, including in the Jewish community."

And it is clear that some of the people hiring these criminals want to create a sense of fear in our communities, including in the Jewish community.

— Myron DemkiwToronto's police chief on the motive behind the orchestrated criminal acts.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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