Attack on Canadian soldiers by ‘radicalised man’ sparks terror fear

One of two Canadian soldiers hit by a car in an apparent terrorist attack has died of his injuries. Officials said the soldier, whose name has not been released, died early on Tuesday. The suspected attacker, who officials said had become influenced by radical Islam, has been shot and killed. The attack in Quebec was the first such incident in Canada since the country joined the fight against Islamic State militants. Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokesman David Falls said the suspect “was known to Federal authorities” and “authorities were concerned that he had become radicalised”.

First and foremost our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families; we’re closely monitoring the situation and obviously we will make available all of the resources of the federal government.

Canadian prime minister Stephen Harper

The suspect has been identified as Martin Couture Rouleau, 25, of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a small town about 26 miles (42km) southeast of Montreal. One neighbour said Rouleau had stopped wearing jeans and started wearing a tunic. The neighbour also said that he had changed over the last year and was alone a lot. Another neighbour said Rouleau converted to Islam a little over a year ago. The case is similar to the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby in London last year, in which two men ran him over with a car before hacking the off-duty soldier to death.

Americas quebec radicalized