The Canada hit-and-run attack suspect, who was killed by the authorities after a long chase, is now believed to have been "radicalized" because of the on-going terrorism in the country.
According to The National Post, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) believes that the man in the Canada hit-and-run attack story "had become radicalized."
"This individual was known to federal authorities including our Integrated National Security Investigations team in Montreal who along with other authorities were concerned that he had become radicalized," RCMP said of the driver who was fatally shot by responding police to the bloody incident on Monday.
The man was identified as Martin "Ahmad" Rouleau, 25, and he reportedly struck two Canadian Forces men while they were apparently walking a strip mall just outside St-Jean-sur-Richelieu at around 11:30 a.m.
While one of the soldiers survived with few injuries, the other one, whose identity was not revealed on the request of his family, died early Tuesday because of his severe condition.
Earlier reports on the Canada hit-and-run attack story reveal that the Quebec provincial police chased after the driver of the car, only to catch him more than four kilometers later.
When authorities managed to catch up with the perpetrator, his car flipped into a ditch. He attempted to escape from the authorities by holding a knife, but the police were alarmed by his gesture such that they opened fire at him causing serious injuries on the driver.
The House of Commons by Prime Minister Stephen Harper was the first one to suggest that the Canada hit-and-run attack could be an act of terrorism, reports The Telegraph.
Harper even quips that he was well aware of the "extremely troubling" reports and the authorities were investigating.
Interestingly, RCMP spokesman David Falls said Monday that the driver in the Canada hit-and-run attack "was known to Federal authorities" and that "authorities were concerned that he had become radicalized."
Authorities also point out that this is very similar to case that happened a year ago in London when an al-Qaida-inspired extremist and another man ran over a soldier with car prior to hacking him to his demise.
Sûreté du Québec spokesman Lt. Guy Lapointe said that it is very uncertain whether in both incidents, the military personnel were deliberately targeted.
"All I can say is that the theory that this is a deliberate act is part of what we'll be looking at," Lapointe said.
If it's true that both were terrorism-inspired attacks, this won't be very surprising since the Islamic State has long urged its members and supporters to carry out terrorist attacks where they may be.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
