Three individuals accused of aiding terrorism in Quebec are set to face trial following the submission of a direct indictment by the federal Crown prosecutor’s office on November 7, along with fresh charges. This legal maneuver sidesteps a preliminary inquiry that was requested by the defendants’ attorneys back in September. With the approval of the attorney general of Canada or deputy attorney general, the indictment paves the way for the case to move to Superior Court, where a trial is anticipated to occur in 2026.
In July, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) laid charges against four men, including two serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), in connection with an alleged scheme to forcibly seize land in the Quebec City area, which authorities described as an instance of “ideologically motivated violent extremism.” Alongside weapon-related charges, three of the accused—Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25—have been accused of the serious offense of facilitating a terrorist activity and were denied bail in August.
Chabot, identified as the de facto leader in court documents, now faces additional charges of instructing individuals to partake in activities for a terrorist group, punishable by life imprisonment. The federal prosecutor’s office alleges that between June 2021 and January 2024, Chabot knowingly directed Angers-Audet, Lagacé, or others linked to an alleged anti-government faction of current and former military personnel known as Hide & Stalk to engage in activities benefiting a terrorist group. Furthermore, Chabot, Angers-Audet, and Lagacé are now also charged with utilizing or possessing property for terrorist purposes.
In a strategic legal move, the men opted for a jury trial in September, while their legal representatives sought a preliminary inquiry scheduled for January to assess the evidence supporting a trial. However, the direct indictment alters the trajectory of the case, as explained by Noah Weisbord, a criminal law professor at McGill University. This tactic, although infrequently employed, enables the Crown to introduce additional charges, expedite the trial process, and address disclosure issues, including safeguarding sensitive evidence and witnesses.
Matthew Forbes, a fourth individual from Pont-Rouge, Quebec, faces charges related to firearms, prohibited devices, explosives, and controlled items, in addition to offenses under the Explosives Act and Defence Production Act. Forbes was granted bail under stringent conditions. Chabot and Forbes were both serving members of the military stationed at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier near Quebec City at the time of their arrest on July 8.
