Two people arrested for making bomb threat against Toronto mosque

Police arrested two people Tuesday afternoon for making threats toward staff at a Scarborough Mosque.

The man and woman allegedly tried to enter the building and made several violent threats, including a bomb threat against the mosque, the Islamic Institute of Toronto shared in a news release.

“No community or any place of worship should be subjected to such threats and heightened anxiety. Such incidents run against the very core values that we as Canadians believe, cherish, and take pride in our country,” said Fareed Amin, chair of the IIT Board of Directors.

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Toronto police believe the couple was under the influence of illicit drugs when they made the threats. Neither the man nor the woman had weapons or explosives on them when they were arrested.

In a news release, police said there was “no evidence” to suggest the crime was hate-motivated, although the Hate Crime Unit has been notified.

The mosque is calling for the incident to be investigated as hate-motivated. It said the threats were especially troubling in the aftermath of the London, Ontario, attack where a 20-year-old driver purposefully ran over a Muslim family of five out for an evening walk, killing four of them.

“We will continue to fight Islamophobia and all forms of racism in building a safe and dignified society for all members of our community,” the mosque said.