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Ottawa police arrest man accused of setting off small, homemade explosives in Centretown

Ottawa police arrested a 51-year-old man on Thursday in connection with recent explosions in Centretown. Nick Westoll / File / Global News

Ottawa police say they’ve arrested a man alleged to have set up a series of small explosive devices in the Centretown area over the past few weeks.

Police said Friday they started investigating several reported “detonations” in the area on Aug. 3.

No injuries were reported in any of the incidents.

On Thursday, police were called to the 300 block of Catherine Street, where a caller had reported a man had placed “what appeared to be a small explosive device.”

Attending officers located and subsequently arrested the man.

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“The homemade devices in these instances demonstrated the potential to cause harm to anyone in very close proximity to the detonations,” police said in a statement Friday. Police would not provide further description of the devices when asked.

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Gordon Ahlstrom, a 51-year-old man from Ottawa, is charged with five counts of mischief/obstruction to property and four counts of intending to cause explosions/cause damage or death.

The suspect is scheduled to appear in court on Friday.

Click to play video: 'No injuries reported after explosion in northeast Calgary'
No injuries reported after explosion in northeast Calgary

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