Man who planned 'Mass Casualty Event' at Mississauga Mosque pleads guilty to 3 charges

Court documents reveal that the man responsible for assaulting worshippers at a mosque in Mississauga, Ont., last year had been meticulously planning the attack for an entire year. His actions were driven by a deep-seated hatred and a sinister intent to intimidate Muslims.

According to an agreed statement of facts presented at the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Brampton, Ont., Mohammad Moiz Omar had specifically aimed to carry out a mass casualty event when he entered the Dar Al-Tawheed Islamic Centre during early morning prayer on March 19, 2022. Armed with a hatchet, he also used bear spray to attack the congregants.

The court hearing indicated that Omar, who was 24 years old at the time of the attack, admitted guilt to three charges, as stated by his lawyer Jacob Roth of Robichaud Criminal Lawyers.

These charges included administering a noxious substance with intent to endanger life or cause bodily harm, assault with a weapon, and mischief to religious property with a clear motivation of bias, prejudice, or hate based on religion.

In accepting his plea, Mr. Omar acknowledged that his actions constituted terrorist activity, as declared by Roth during a phone call with CBC News on Wednesday.

The mosque's imam, Ibrahim Hindy, expressed his community's profound distress upon learning the details in court. It became apparent that the attack was not a result of someone having a momentary lapse or a mental health issue; rather, it was a premeditated act of violence meticulously planned to target and harm Muslims.

The imam expressed gratitude that the congregation managed to stop Omar before any serious harm could be inflicted on anyone.