Montreal police say they are investigating whether five people arrested Wednesday in possession of incendiary materials could have been planning something in connection with the conflict in the Middle East.
Police spokesperson Manuel Couture says investigators are trying to determine whether nearby synagogues were the intended targets.
“The big investigation is ongoing. We are looking at what they were doing in these neighbourhoods and what building was being targeted, because what we see in the car was clearly to start a fire somewhere,” Couture said.
Police intercepted a vehicle containing unspecified incendiary materials shortly before 2 a.m. in the borough of Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce and arrested three minors — one aged 16 and the others 17.
Fifteen minutes later, police arrested a 20-year-old and a 22-year-old in Côte-Saint-Luc, who also had incendiary materials in their vehicle, police say.
Couture says the suspects were released under conditions with a promise to appear in court at a later date.
In a news release, Montreal police attribute the arrests to an increased presence and surveillance ahead of the one-year anniversary of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
“We have ears and eyes everywhere,” Couture said. “We are working very hard and closely with the community. If there is something that happens, suspicious behaviour, we will rush to the scene.”
Jewish schools and synagogues have extra security as members of the community celebrate Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.
Fearing protests, McGill University in Montreal is announcing a partial closure for Oct. 7.
The campus, which was occupied for months by pro-Palestinian protesters, will be closed to the public.
Only staff and students will have access, with the majority of classes being held online.