Three individuals facing charges related to terrorism in Quebec will proceed to trial following the direct indictment filed by the federal Crown prosecutor’s office on November 7, which included additional charges. The decision to skip the preliminary inquiry, requested by the defendants’ lawyers in September, was made with the authorization of the attorney general of Canada or deputy attorney general. Consequently, the case will be escalated to the Superior Court, potentially leading to a trial as early as 2026.
In July, the RCMP charged four men, two of whom were active members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), for their alleged involvement in a plot to seize control of land in the Quebec City region, described by the police as an act of “ideologically motivated violent extremism.” Alongside weapons charges, three of the accused individuals – Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25 – are facing serious allegations of facilitating a terrorist activity. Bail was denied to them in August.
Chabot, identified as the group’s de facto leader in court documents, has been further charged with instructing individuals to participate in activities for a terrorist organization, an offense carrying a potential life sentence. The federal prosecutor’s office alleges that between June 2021 and January 2024, Chabot knowingly directed Angers-Audet, Lagacé, or other associates linked to an alleged anti-government group named Hide & Stalk to engage in activities on behalf of a terrorist entity. Additionally, the trio faces a new charge of using or possessing property for terrorist purposes.
In September, three of the accused individuals opted for a jury trial and also sought a preliminary inquiry, which was slated for two weeks in January to assess the evidence for trial suitability. However, the direct indictment approach, as explained by criminal law professor Noah Weisbord from McGill University, is a strategic maneuver employed by the Crown in cases involving terrorism or significant organized crime. It allows for the introduction of new charges, expedites the trial process, and aids in managing disclosure issues like safeguarding sensitive evidence and witnesses.
The defense retains the option to challenge the constitutionality of the indictment, but such attempts are seldom successful. Another defendant, Matthew Forbes, 33, from Pont-Rouge, Que., faces various charges, including possession of firearms, prohibited devices, and explosives, as well as offenses under the Explosives Act and Defence Production Act regulating military supplies access. Forbes was granted bail under strict conditions.
Both Chabot and Forbes were serving as active military personnel at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier, near Quebec City, at the time of the arrests on July 8.
