“Our prayers tonight are with the people of Quebec City as they deal with a bad attack on a mosque”.
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“The SQ confirms that only [one of the] individuals arrested last night … is considered to be [a] suspect”, Quebec police said, according to a translation.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has condemned as a “terrorist attack” the deadly assault Sunday night on the Islamic Cultural Center, one of the worst attacks ever to have targeted Muslims in a western country.
The two suspects may appear in court as early as Monday, officials said.
Conservative MP Sylvie Boucher, who represents a riding in the Quebec City area, had tears in her eyes as she described her reaction to the attack.
The attack comes as Canada has vowed to open its arms wide to Muslims and refugees after US President Donald Trump’s controversial immigration ban Friday sparked travel chaos and outrage around the world.
“We are all Quebeckers”.
“Know that we value you”.
“Canadians will not be intimidated”, Trudeau added.
Canadian police detained Bissonnette, a French-Canadian national, who is believed to be in his 20s and from Quebec, after the shooting on Sunday (29 January) without a struggle. During Ramadan, the holiest time of the year for Muslims, a severed pig head was left on its doorstep along with a threatening note in 2016. Practising Muslims do not eat pork.
“Last night’s terrible crime against the Muslim community was an act of terror committed against Canada and against all Canadians”, Trudeau said in the House of Commons.
“We’ve had an overwhelming support from Canadians wanting to help in whatever way they can”. Police said they have discovered no motive for the crime.
Aurangzeb Qureshi from the Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council is helping to organize the 6:30 p.m. Monday vigil at the legislative building to condemn the violence. “We are urgently waiting for answers as to how and why such a tragedy could occur”.
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Hadjira Belkacem said families of Muslims who die outside Montreal have to deliver the body for burial in Quebec’s largest city or pay thousands of dollars to have it shipped to the deceased’s country of origin.
