Canada rules out terrorism as cause of van attack in Toronto

The author of Monday’s van attack in Toronto, which left 10 people dead and 15 injured, appeared in court yesterday formally charged with ten charges of premeditated murder and thirteen charges of attempted murder.

In spite of the similarities with other vehicle attacks perpetrated by Islamic State extremists in the United States and Europe, the Canadian authorities do not see a threat to national security. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ruled out terrorism as the reason for the attack by Alek Minassian, aged 25. “The investigation continues but it is quite clear that there is no connection with national security,” said the premier at a press conference in Ottawa, where he asked Canadians to come together in support of Toronto. Trudeau admitted that “it will take time” to understand the motivations that led Minassian to commit the atrocity. He was captured half an hour after mowing down the pedestrians, when fleeing from police. At the time of his arrest, he made a gesture as if he had a weapon in his hand and asked police to shoot him in the head.

One former schoolmate described him as “completely harmless”, while another said that he had never expressed any extremist views or defended any particular religion or ideology, but that he had difficulties socially.