A 61-year-old man was arrested at his Charlemagne Street apartment after midnight on Wednesday.
The arrest came three weeks after he allegedly sent anonymous letters to various recipients – threatening the shale gas industry in Quebec and Alberta.
One of those letters was found in a phone booth right next to the offices of La Presse in Old Montreal.
It seems a columnist there received an anonymous call telling him to go retrieve the letter.
“We began the investigation immediately and as the threats touched different territories, different jurisdictions, we partnered up with Montreal police and the RCMP to conduct this investigation,” said Surete du Quebec spokesperson Daniel Thibaudau.
Portions of the letters were later published in the paper.
The author indicated that he was a member of a group known as Quebec Militia for the Protection of the Territory – a group that had been previously unknown.
It seems the writer was upset over the Charest government’s refusal to impose a moratorium on shale gas exploration.
He wrote, “We have no choice but to impose our own moratorium and we will impose our own measures to ensure it is respected."
He also allegedly indicated if his demands were not carried out, there would be serious consequences.
Another newspaper excerpt read, "As of July 1, all industrial activities will have serious consequences, such as the destruction of certain sites."
The police took the threats seriously.
“This gentleman faces charges of uttering threats and something that is known as conveying a terrorist threat. So, there’s two accusations that will be held against him,” said Thibaudau.
The 61-year-old man was released on a promise to appear in court at a later date.
Legal experts say the suspect could face at least five years in prison if convicted – even if he never intended to make good on his threats.
Legal expert Phil Schneider said consequences could be severe.
“If a person is convicted of an act of terrorism, regardless of what kind of terrorism, inciting, hoax terrorism, true terrorism, helping an organization to commit a terrorist act, they automatically go on the terrorism list.”
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