More than 100 synagogues, Jewish organizations, doctors, and hospitals in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa, and Calgary were emailed identical bomb threats on Wednesday.
The spate of bomb threats were confirmed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
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“We are working with local law enforcement, who are actively responding to ensure locations are safe and secure,” RCMP said in a statement. “Law enforcement is also engaging with faith-based leaders to ensure they have the information and support they need.”
The Federal Policing National Security Program was working to determine who made the bomb threats.
According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, the emailed threats claimed “many explosives” had been put in black backpacks that would detonate in a few hours. However, several Jewish leaders said Canadian law enforcement does not believe there was an imminent threat, reports the New Arab.
Bomb sweeps were still conducted as a precaution at many locations.
Bomb Threats Follow Big Increase in Reports of Antisemitism in Canada
Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy, B’nai Brith Canada told CityNews that, “Given the scope of the institutions targeted from coast to coast, Jewish institutions, as well as hospitals and medical facilities in the Ottawa area, I think that we can say that the intention of whoever is responsible for this threat was to intimidate and harass the Jewish community.”
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The bomb threats were received at about 5 a.m. Eastern on Wednesday morning.
Since the October 7 attacks by Hamas on Israel and the start of the Israel-Hamas war, Canada, like the United States, has experienced a significant increase in antisemitic incidents. According to B’nai Brith Canada’s annual report, the rate of antisemitic incidents in the country doubled last year.
