Halifax police have brought charges against a man for issuing a bomb threat against the local U.S. Consulate, leading to the evacuation of several downtown buildings and streets for five hours. Ali Assakereh, 54, of Halifax appeared in court to face charges of uttering threats and public mischief. His bail hearing was postponed to the next day at the request of the Crown, and he was remanded in custody.
Authorities were alerted to the bomb threat on Sunday night and located the suspect’s vehicle parked near the consulate the following morning. Assakereh was apprehended shortly afterward in the city’s west end. The U.S. Embassy in Ottawa declined to comment on the security incident, citing the ongoing police inquiry.
Following an assessment by an explosives expert, it was determined that a propane tank and containers with flammable liquids found in the vehicle did not pose a danger to public safety. Consequently, the evacuation orders were lifted on Monday at 2 p.m.
During his court appearance via video link on Tuesday, Assakereh, communicating through an Arabic interpreter, expressed his desire to provide evidence of racism he has experienced. He also mentioned renouncing the Islamic faith and the potential consequences in an Islamic state. The interpreter relayed Assakereh’s claims of threats against him and his family by various entities.
The incident in Halifax occurred shortly after two individuals were charged with shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto in July. A 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy are facing multiple charges related to what authorities have described as a contract crime scheme. Notably, this marks the second shooting incident at the Toronto consulate this year.
In a separate case, an Iraqi national accused of plotting terror attacks in response to conflicts involving the U.S. and Israel was also linked to the March shooting at the U.S. consulate in Toronto. Prosecutors in the U.S. charged Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi with supporting terrorism and conspiracy offenses, although these allegations have yet to be tried in court.
Both shooting incidents at the U.S. consulates in Toronto have been considered significant security incidents by law enforcement officials. The RCMP has emphasized the need for heightened vigilance at consular facilities across Canada.