News Digest

Parliament shooter’s video: Attack was ‘retaliation’ for Canada’s military action

The gunman who shot and killed a soldier in Ottawa and then stormed Parliament last year said he was retaliating against Canadian military involvement in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to a video recording released on Friday. Michael Zehaf-Bibeau made the short video on his mobile phone just before launching his attacks on Oct. 22, just three weeks after Canada decided to deploy forces against Islamic State militants in Iraq. Citing operational reasons, RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson said 13 seconds had been edited from the start of the video and five from the end. A Canadian convert to Islam, Zehaf-Bibeau died in a gun battle with police and security guards shortly after entering the Parliament building in Ottawa.

To those who are involved and listen to this movie, this is in retaliation for Afghanistan and because Harper wants to send his troops to Iraq. So we are retaliating, the Mujahedin of this world … just aiming to hit some soldiers just to show that you’re not even safe in your own land, and you gotta be careful.

Zehaf-Bibeau said in the video

Paulson said Zehaf-Bibeau, who had a long knife strapped to his wrist during the attack, had become “increasingly aligned with terrorist ideology.” He said the attack could have been prevented if Zehaf-Bibeau’s associates had reported these signs to authorities. Prime Minister Stephen Harper cited the attacks and the threat of “jihadist terrorism” as reasons for a tough new security bill the Conservative government unveiled in January. An autopsy found no alcohol or drugs in Zehaf-Bibeau’s body, Paulson said, adding that while he had a history of mental illness, there was no evidence that played a role. The gunfight with Zehaf-Bibeau took place in the hallway just outside the room where Paulson spoke on Friday.

We’ll not cease until you guys decide to be a peaceful country … and stop going to other countries and stop occupying and killing the righteous of us who are trying to bring back religious law in our countries.

Zehaf-Bibeau said in the video