Terrorism charges laid against man accused in Edmonton City Hall attack

EDMONTON — Mounties announced terrorism charges Monday against a man accused of firing a gun and igniting a Molotov cocktail at Edmonton City Hall in January.

Bezhani Sarvar, who is 28, is charged with counselling commission of a terrorism offence and possession of property for terrorist purposes, said the RCMP Federal Policing Integrated National Security Enforcement Team.

INSET said those charges are in conjunction with eight others that constitute terrorism offences, including intentionally or recklessly causing damage by fire or explosion to property knowing the property was inhabited, intentionally discharging a firearm while being reckless as to the life and safety of another person and carrying a concealed weapon.

Edmonton police had earlier announced six charges against Sarvar, including arson, possessing incendiary material and recklessly discharging a firearm.

“INSET would like to acknowledge the exceptional work done by the Edmonton Police Service and their assistance in the ongoing national security investigation,” RCMP said in a news release.

Police in the Alberta capital have said a heavily armed man entered city hall on Jan. 23 through an underground parkade, fired a gun and lit several small incendiary devices, which caused a small fire outside an elevator.

No one was hurt, but the bullets shattered glass and punctured ceilings and walls.

Edmonton police have said the man then dropped the firearm on the floor and surrendered to a city hall security commissionaire, who detained him until police arrived.

The building was full of people during the shooting, including a class of Grade 1 students. City police and RCMP tactical teams spent several hours securing and clearing the building, escorting out citizens who had been sheltering in various locations.

Edmonton police have said the shooter acted alone.

They have said they were reviewing a video posted by a man wearing a commissionaire’s jacket. In the video, the man delivers a rambling manifesto, decrying everything from so-called “wokeism” to the fighting in Gaza to unhealthy diets.

Sarvar did not speak during a court appearance last month.

The lawyer who appeared for Sarvar, David Ibrahim, said his client is from Edmonton and has a father and brother-in-law in the city. The man in the video identified himself as a husband and a father.

RCMP say Sarvar is in custody at the Calgary Remand Centre and is to next appear in court on Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on March 4, 2024.

The Canadian Press

Note to readers: This is a corrected story; An earlier version incorrectly spelled Bezhani Sarvar.