Canadian ISIS sympathizer killed by police

Police said Driver was identified as the person in the so-called martyrdom video and that he planned an attack within 72 hours.

Police raided the home of Aaron Driver in the small town of Strathroy, some 225 kilometres south-west of Toronto, after receiving credible information, including a “martyrdom video”, from U.S. authorities that he planned an attack, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said.

A Canadian terror suspect detonated a bomb in the back seat of a taxi as police closed in on Wednesday, authorities say.

Driver, 24, was under a peace bond for communicating with what the RCMP called well-known ISIS supporters in the United Kingdom and the U.S.

RCMP assistant commissioner Jennifer Strachan, who is also the commanding officer for Ontario, said authorities will conduct an autopsy to determine whether Driver died from the explosive or from police fire.

Police said Mr. Driver and Mr. Hussain were also associated through social media with Elton Simpson, one of two men who were killed while attempting to storm a Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas past year.

Police won’t say how the Federal Bureau of Investigation obtained the video, but it put authorities around the country on high alert.

Canadian authorities say they intercepted a would-be bomber just in time to stop a terrorist attack.

In the video, aired during a news conference in Ottawa, a masked Driver is seen railing against western “enemies of Islam” and warning that the only solution would be the “spilling of your blood”.

Before the encounter with police, Driver released a video pledging allegiance to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the leader of the Islamic State.

Following these attacks, the Conservative government passed a bill giving the RCMP and Canada’s spy agency sweeping powers to thwart terror plots and prevent Canadian youth from flying overseas to join the Islamic State group in Syria.

Driver was living with his sister and under court order not to use a computer or phone, as well as other conditions.

Police said they were monitoring Driver Wednesday afternoon when around 4:30 p.m. he exited a residence in Strathroy, and entered a taxi.

RCMP said Driver managed to get out of the house quickly and jump into a waiting taxi, where he detonated an explosive device.

He was also required to wear a tracking device, which was removed earlier this year.

Police do not believe that Driver had any accomplices, but they could not specify which city he was planning to target.

Lee said police were still outside and had told her they would likely be there all night.

CBC said the suspect had first come to the attention of anti-terror officials in October 2014 after he tweeted support for IS.

He urged Canadians to “remain alert to the dangers of terrorism” and report suspicious activity to local police or the national security call centre at 1-800-420-5805.

Later, the Crown announced that some of his strict bail conditions had been lifted and that he would not be going to trial.

“As soon as the RCMP received the information, we immediately took action to ensure the public’s safety”, Cabana said. He was the third terrorist to die in a shootout with police since October 2014, when two extremists were killed after attacking Canadian Forces members in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu and Ottawa.