A Pakistani man, arrested last week in the Canadian province of Quebec for allegedly plotting an attack on a Jewish center in Brooklyn, entered Canada on a student visa, Canada’s Immigration Minister Marc Miller stated on Tuesday, according to The Associated Press.
Miller revealed that Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, 20, received his student visa in May 2023 and arrived in Toronto the following June. He declined to offer further details, citing the ongoing court proceedings.
US authorities claim Khan intended to carry out a mass shooting, using guns and knives, in support of the Islamic State (ISIS) terrorist organization. The planned attack was reportedly timed to mark the anniversary of the October 7 attack by Hamas against Israel.
“We take any security breach and any entry into Canada very seriously,” Miller emphasized on Tuesday, adding, “Let’s not be naïve. A determined individual can gain access to this country, and it’s the responsibility of our security services to apprehend such individuals if they commit or are planning to commit a crime.”
Miller also praised Canada’s law enforcement, noting, “Canada’s police forces did their jobs by arresting the individual, and now we’ll let the court case take its course.”