From Syrian Refugee to Canadian Citizen: How a Syrian ISIS Member Became a Canadian Citizen and Plotted a Toronto Attack

Image Credits: CBC News

Case Background: The Assault and Entry into Canada

• Ahmed Ldd is alleged to have committed an assault on behalf of ISIS in 2015, outside of Canada. A video, believed to be ISIS propaganda, allegedly shows him dressed in black, using a sword to dismember a person in an orange jumpsuit. This violent act is the basis of the charges against him, which came to light years later after he had already entered Canada and gained citizenship. He, along with his son, was later arrested in 2024 for allegedly plotting another terrorist attack in Toronto.
• Entry into Canada (2018): Despite this, he entered Canada in 2018, three years later, after multiple security screenings, and eventually obtained full Canadian citizenship.

Security Breach: How Did This Happen?

• Questioning on Parliament Hill: Politicians and the public are questioning how someone involved in such activities could enter Canada and pass security screenings.
• Foiled Terrorist Attack (2024): In 2024, Canadian police foiled a serious and imminent terrorist attack in Toronto planned by Ahmed Ldd and his son, Mustafa Ldd.

From Syrian Refugee to Canadian Citizen: The Path of Ahmed Ldd

• Ahmed Ldd, originally from Syria, entered Canada in 2018 and quickly sought asylum, claiming refugee status. His application was approved in 2019, granting him protection in Canada. Over the next few years, Ldd’s integration into Canadian society progressed rapidly—he was granted permanent residency in 2021 and obtained Canadian citizenship just two months before his arrest in 2023. This timeline has sparked intense scrutiny, particularly in light of the serious charges now leveled against him, raising questions about the effectiveness of Canada’s immigration and security screening processes.

The Arrest and Charges

• Father and Son Arrested: Ahmed Ldd (62) and Mustafa Ldd (26) were arrested and charged with nine offenses, including conspiracy to commit murder and participation in terrorist activities.
• Evidence Against Them: The two men filmed themselves holding weapons in front of an ISIS flag, pledging allegiance to the group.

Timeline of Events

• Visitor Permit Refusal (2017): Ahmed Ldd’s initial application for a visitor permit to Canada was refused in December 2017 but was later accepted in 2018.
• Asylum Claim and Citizenship: Ahmed claimed asylum upon entering Canada and was granted refugee status in 2019, permanent residency in 2021, and citizenship in 2023.

Gaps in Security Screening

• Security Indicators Ignored: Despite risk indicators flagged during Ahmed Ldd’s refugee and permanent resident applications, his citizenship application was approved after further screenings.
• Lack of Intelligence Sharing: Canadian security services were unaware of the ISIS video and were only informed by another country in 2024, highlighting a lack of foreign intelligence capabilities.

Government and Expert Reactions

• Criticism from Security Analysts: Analysts criticized Canada’s security system, emphasizing that the lack of a foreign intelligence service limits Canada’s ability to detect such threats.
• Government Defense: The Public Safety Minister defended the security agencies, stating that the system worked as it should since the attack was foiled.

Calls for Improvement

• Need for Better Technology and Training: Experts and officials discussed the need for improved technology, such as facial recognition, and better-trained personnel to identify and act on security risks.
• Ongoing Investigation: An investigation is ongoing into how these lapses occurred and what can be done to prevent similar situations in the future.

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Source

1. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/eldidi-immigration-alleged-terrost-plot-committee-1.7306049
2. https://torontosun.com/opinion/columnists/lilley-security-screening-tarnished-by-accused-terrorists-citizenship-quest
3. https://globalnews.ca/news/10718889/terror-suspect-canada-three-years-after-isis-video/
4. https://www.rebelnews.com/trudeau_liberals_refugee_travel_document_spark_massive_us_security_concerns_as_known_and_suspected_terrorists_cross_border
5. https://www.ctvnews.ca/politics/public-safety-minister-reveals-how-when-toronto-terror-plot-suspects-came-to-canada-1.7016433
6. https://www.cp24.com/news/isis-video-didn-t-come-up-during-security-screening-of-toronto-terror-suspect-cbsa-1.7017231