Halifax authorities arrested a man for issuing a bomb threat against the local U.S. Consulate, leading to the evacuation of several buildings and streets in the downtown area for about five hours. The suspect, 54-year-old Ali Assakereh, was brought before Halifax provincial court on Tuesday to face charges of making threats and causing public disturbance. His bail hearing was postponed to the following day at the request of the Crown, and he was remanded in custody.
The police were informed of the bomb threat on Sunday night and discovered the suspect’s vehicle parked near the consulate the next morning. Assakereh was apprehended shortly thereafter in the western part of the city. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa declined to comment on the security incident, citing an ongoing police inquiry.
Upon inspection, authorities found a propane tank and containers suspected to contain flammable liquids in the vehicle. However, a bomb disposal expert later confirmed that these items did not pose any danger to public safety, resulting in the lifting of the evacuation orders at 2 p.m. on Monday.
During his court appearance via video link on Tuesday, Assakereh, communicating with an Arabic interpreter, expressed his desire to provide evidence of racism he claims to have experienced. He mentioned renouncing his Islamic faith and emphasized that he would face severe consequences if he were in an Islamic nation.
At the end of the hearing, the interpreter mentioned that Assakereh preferred a Farsi interpreter, as Farsi is predominantly spoken in Iran. This incident in Halifax occurred shortly after two individuals were charged with firing at the U.S. consulate in Toronto in July, marking the second such occurrence this year. Authorities described these events as part of a criminal operation.
In a separate incident in May, an Iraqi national accused of plotting terror attacks against the U.S. and Israel was also implicated in attacks in Canada, including the March shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto. The individual faced charges related to supporting terrorist organizations and planning acts of terrorism.
None of the accusations against the suspect have been proven in court. The incidents highlight the heightened vigilance around U.S. consulates in Canada as emphasized by law enforcement officials.
