Jihadist Attacks Canadian Parliament: Canadian Military Closes Bases

[Rayzur]

OTTAWA, Oct 22 (Reuters) - At least one gunman entered Canada's parliament buildings on Wednesday and many shots were fired just outside the room where Prime Minister Stephen Harper was addressing a meeting of legislators.

Harper was safely removed from the building but parliament was locked down. Eyewitnesses said at least 30 shots were fired in dramatic scenes in the heart of the Canadian capital.

"PM (Harper) was addressing caucus, then a huge boom, followed by rat-a-tat shots. We all scattered. It was clearly right outside our caucus door," Treasury Board Minister Tony Clement said.

A spokesman for Harper said: "While the prime minister stated that facts are still being gathered, he condemned this despicable attack."

The suspected gunman was shot dead inside the parliament building, Ottawa police said.

Minutes before the shooting there, a soldier had been shot and fatally wounded at the nearby National War Memorial in Ottawa.

But the incidents, shocking in Canada's normally tranquil capital, were not over.

Ottawa police were searching for more suspects near the war memorial in central Ottawa, and on nearby Parliament Hill, a police spokesman said. Residents were warned to stay away from downtown Ottawa.

Dramatic video footage posted by the Globe and Mail newspaper showed police with guns drawn inside the main parliament building. At least a dozen loud bangs can be heard on the clip, echoing through the hallway.

Veterans Affairs Minister Julian Fantino, a former policeman, told the Toronto Sun that parliament's head of security, Sergeant-at-Arms Kevin Vickers, shot dead a suspected gunman.

"All the details are not in, but the sergeant-at-arms, a former Mountie, is the one that engaged the gunman, or one of them at least, and stopped this," Fantino said.

Canadian cabinet minister Jason Kenney said a guard in parliament buildings had also been wounded in the incident.

'DANGER HERE'

There was no word yet on the identity of any suspect or suspects or of any motive for the shooting.

It was also unclear whether there was any connection to an attack on Monday when an Islamic convert ran down two Canadian soldiers with his car, killing one, near Montreal, before being shot dead by police in the first fatal attack on Canadian soil tied to Islamic militants.

Canada announced this month it was joining the battle against Islamic State fighters who have taken over parts of Iraq and Syria.

The attacks took place as the Canadian government prepared to boost the powers of its spy agency, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service. Public Safety Minister Stephen Blaney said last Thursday the new legislation would let the agency track and investigate potential terrorists when they travel abroad and ultimately prosecute them.

As the drama in Ottawa unfolded, police in dark bulletproof vests and carrying automatic rifles flooded the streets near parliament.

Some took cover behind vehicles and shouted to people to clear the area, saying: "We do not have the suspect in custody. You are in danger here."

Police quickly cleared several blocks of downtown Ottawa. By noon ET, the streets were empty.

Several police cars were parked on the lawns outside the parliament buildings. Small groups of police could be seen sheltering behind at least two cars.

Members of parliament were told to lock or barricade themselves in their offices, and stay away from the windows.

At the time of the shooting the opposition New Democrats were holding their weekly caucus meeting in parliament's Centre Block, where the shooting took place. A tweeted picture sent from the room showed a pile of chairs jammed up against the main door to prevent anyone from entering.

Police told people in downtown Ottawa to stay away from windows and off roofs.

The soldier who died in the shooting was taken into an ambulance in which medical personnel could be seen giving him cardio-pulmonary resuscitation. CBC News reported that he was a reservist who had been serving in Hamilton, Ontario.

'DOUBLE-BARRELED SHOTGUN'

In Washington, a White House official said U.S. President Barack Obama had been briefed on the situation. He said the United States had offered assistance to Canada.

Mass shootings are relatively rare in Canada, which has stricter gun laws than the United States. Compared with Capitol Hill in Washington, security on Parliament Hill is also fairly low key. Anybody could walk right up to the front door of parliament's Centre Block with arms and explosives without being challenged before entering the front door, where a few guards check accreditation.

A construction worker who was on the scene in Ottawa when the shooting began told Reuters he heard a gunshot, and then saw a man with a scarf over his face running towards parliament.

"He was wearing blue pants and a black jacket and he had a double barreled shotgun and he ran up the side of this building here and hijacked a car at gunpoint," construction worker Scott Walsh told Reuters.

The driver got out safely, then the man drove the car to the Centre Block on Parliament Hill, where construction work is underway, Walsh said.

The suspected gunman rushed past a woman with a child in a stroller, who ran away screaming. He did not attack the woman or child, he said.

Centre Block is the main building on Parliament Hill, a sprawling complex of buildings and open space in downtown Ottawa. It contains the House of Commons and Senate chambers as well as the offices of some members of parliament, senators, and senior administration for both legislative houses.

One member of parliament, Mark Strahl, tweeted from inside parliament: "Very tense situation in Ottawa this morning. Multiple gun shots fired outside of our caucus room. I am safe and in lockdown. Unbelievable."

The Canadian military closed its bases across the country following the events in Ottawa, CBC TV said.

(Additional reporting by Allison Martell and Andrea Hopkins in Toronto; Jeff Mason and Steve Holland in Washington; Writing by Frances Kerry; Editing by Amran Abocar; and Peter Galloway)

9:52 a.m. Gunfire at the National War Memorial. Reporter there said he saw one man go down and another run. He heard four shots.

9:54 a.m. Gunfire in Parliament’s Centre Block.

A body outside ground at library of parliament

— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) October 22, 2014

9:56 a.m. Reports of dozens of shots fired in Parliament. A reporter sees a motionless body on the ground outside the Library of Parliament.

Meanwhile, at the War Memorial, reports emerge that it is a soldier that was shot.

: Soldier killed at war memorial identified as Cpl. Nathan Cirillo  http://t.co/vlj96XOoSm

— The Globe and Mail (@globeandmail) October 22, 2014

9:58 a.m. CPR being performed on the soldier by passersby.

9:59 a.m. Confirmed that “active shooter” still in the halls of Parliament.

Only photo I will tweet. CPR being performed on the soldier now. I heard four shots.

— Peter Henderson (@Henderburn) October 22, 2014

10:00 a.m. Ottawa police tactical unit arrives at Parliament Hill.

A Ottawa police officer and service dog run up Metcalfe Street following shootings in downtown Ottawa October 22, 2014. REUTERS/Blair Gable

10:04 a.m. Witnesses at War Memorial say they saw the assailant run towards Parliament Hill carrying a large rifle.

Andre Barr/National Post

10:05 a.m. A police officer at the War Memorial confirms to colleague in walkie talkie: “DND member down.” Officers shout “there is a shooter on the loose” and clears the area.

10:07 a.m. Reporters moved into the lobby of the House for safety, MPs remain in caucus chambers.

10:12 a.m. Parliament Hill is officially in lockdown.

Wayne Cuddington/Postmedia News RCMP tactical officers attempt to enter the Langevin Block as police respond to an apparent terrorist attack in Ottawa.

10: 13 a.m. Witnesses at War Memorial say the alleged assailant was a man with dark hair and a scarf on his head, carrying a “huge rifle.” Last seen running toward Parliament Hill. Police urge everyone to stay away, saying “you are in danger here.”

10:18 a.m. Suspect’s car is identified, parked on Wellington Street in front of the Hill. The grey Toyota Corolla has neither front nor back license plates. Some witnesses said they saw two shooters emerge from the vehicles. Inside the House of Commons, police search every room that wasn’t locked at time of the shooting.

10:19 a.m. Witnesses say that the suspect seen at War Memorial looked about 5 foot 9 or 1, overweight with a black jacket and a long rifle. He had a scarf covering his face and headed toward the House of Commons lawn. Others say he was wearing a hoodie and a bandana covering his face and had long hair. Reports that the shooter had a “dark complexion.”

Ashley Fraser/Postmedia News – A person is escorted out of a building on Sparks Street near a Post Office in Ottawa.

10:24 a.m. A Parliament cafeteria worker reports seeing a man drive up to the Hill in a black Chrysler and enter Parliament armed with a hunting rifle.

10:25 a.m. RCMP issues statement advising people keep away from Parliament Hill due to an “ongoing police incident.” At this point, it is believed the shooter or shooters are still on the loose. Outside near the National War Memorial, construction worker and witness Barry Willis said a man pointed a gun at him. He said he heard five or six shots and the shooter’s headscarf was blue and white. Meanwhile in Parliament, witnesses report hearing 10 to 15 shots.

10:30 a.m. Unconfirmed reports emerge that the gunman at Parliament’s Centre Block has been shot and killed.

Total pandemonium near rideau centre. Police screaming for everyone to leave we are.

— Vassy Kapelos (@VassyKapelos) October 22, 2014

10:33 a.m. Witnesses say they saw shooter stop a black sedan at the East Block, order the driver out, and drove that vehicle to the Centre Block.

10:37 a.m. Confirmed that Prime Minister Stephen Harper got out safely and that MPs were gathered in a caucus meeting when they heard shots fired. Evacuations begin. People standing along Elgin Street just south of the memorial are frisked by police. All the streets surrounding Parliament Hill and the memorial also on lockdown. This includes all buildings and businesses.

10:41 a.m. It’s confirmed that Liberal leader Justin Trudeau is in a “safe and secure location” his spokesperson says. Also confirmed that NDP Leader of the Opposition, Tom Mulcair is also safe and in a secure location.

10:42 a.m. Shooter is still on the loose. “There’s an active shooter, we haven’t got it contained yet,” an officer tells the Ottawa Citizen’s Glen McGregor.

10:47 a.m. “There’s a guy running around with a gun,” an officer tells the National Post’s John Ivison. “There are multiple assailants. I know it’s not a secure scene.”

10:49 a.m. Prime Minister’s staff receive email ordering them to stay put. “There are currently active shooters in the Parliament Hill vicinity,” the email reads.

10:53 a.m. RCMP advises citizens to “stay off rooftops and away from windows in the downtown core” and to avoid the area entirely.

Shot from inside caucus room after shooting

— Graham Richardson (@grahamctv) October 22, 2014

11:02 a.m. People in buildings surrounding Parliament Hill and the National War Memorial told to stay away from windows.

11:07 a.m. Ottawa police orders public and media off the sidewalks at Queen and Metcalfe Streets, yelling “Everybody inside! There’s possibly somebody down the street!” according to Postmedia reporter Jason Feteke.

11:10 a.m. Kevin Vickers, the sergeant-at-arms for the House of Commons has shot an assailant, the Canadian Press reports.

11:13 a.m. Police have guns drawn again near the Hill’s East Block, between the Chateau Laurier and Parliament Hill. The University of Ottawa and Rideau Centre shopping mall both locked down.

 

11:20 a.m. It is confirmed that one shooter is dead in the Centre Block, another suspect still on the loose.

11:22 a.m. Reports of more gunshots fired by the Chateau Laurier hotel. It is also reported that the gates at CFB Halifax have been chained and locked. All Ottawa schools are locked down.

11:30 a.m. Press gallery tells reporters “If your door does not lock, find a way to barricade the door, if possible. Do not open a door under any circumstances.”

11:34 a.m. The Globe and Mail reports a second shooter has been shot by police.

11:36 a.m. All military bases across the country closed.

11:41 a.m. Shootings have occurred at three different sites downtown, police say — The National War Memorial, Parliament’s Centre Block and near downtown Ottawa’s mall, The Rideau Centre. Police say the events happened very close together.

11:49 a.m. United States president Barack Obama has been briefed on the shooting at Canada’s Parliament. The United States embassy is also in lockdown mode.

12:04 p.m. Police rush to Rideau Centre entrance, guns drawn.

Armed RCMP officers guard the front of Langevin Block on Parliament Hill following a shooting incident in Ottawa October 22, 2014.
REUTERS/Chris Wattie

12:08 p.m. Meanwhile, MPs and reporters still on lockdown in Parliament.

12:12 p.m. Ottawa Civic hospital confirmed to CBC that two victims were en route to hospital, one of them shot. Both were in non-life threatening condition.

Police officers take cover near Parliament Hill following a shooting incident in Ottawa October 22, 2014.
REUTERS/Chris Wattie

12:30 p.m. Prime Minister issues a statement saying he is safe and not on Parliament Hill. He promises to make a statement later in the day. Planned ceremony to honour Nobel peace prize winner Malala Yousafzai today in Toronto has been cancelled.

1:03 p.m. Soldier shot at National War Memorial reported dead.

1:53 p.m. The NDP issues a statement in response to the shootings. “This morning’s horrifying attack has shocked all Canadians and shattered the peace of our nation’s capital. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the soldier killed and the people who were injured, and we are deeply grateful for the soldiers and law enforcement officials who quickly and courageously protected the public today.”

4:40 p.m. Canada police investigating Michael Zehaf-Bibeau as possible suspect in Ottawa shooting – source familiar with matter – Reuters

4:45 p.m. A source confirms to CP24 that the deceased solider in Ottawa is Cpl. Nathan Cirillo. Cirillo was a member of the Hamilton Argylls

[tankdude]

This is striking kind of close to home for me.  Think I will start wearing civvies to and from work - even if it is only 10 minutes either way. Another perk - even if I do have to check it in at the security office when I come on post and pick it up when I leave - I could carry my pistol with me.  I've always been uncomfortable with prohibition of carrying personal weapons while in uniform.  Just my  .

[Saint]

Don't forget about the two Canadian soldiers who were run down in Montreal on Monday.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s office says the man who struck and injured two military personnel in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu with his car had become radicalized and was known to authorities.

“The individual who struck the two CAF members (Canadian Armed Forces) with his car is known to federal authorities, including the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team,” Harper’s office said in a written statement issued Monday evening. “Federal authorities have confirmed that there are clear indications that the individual had become radicalized.”

The Sûreté du Québec, initially refused to confirm reports the man who was shot and killed by St-Jean-sur-Richelieu police was engaging in an act of terror. A police officer identified the man as Martin Couture Rouleau, 25, a local resident.

On social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Ummaland, a site that describes itself as a network connecting “Muslim brothers and sisters” who live an Islamic way of life, Rouleau went by the name Ahmad Rouleau. On Ummaland he is described as a convert to Islam. In recent months he had posted pointed comments regarding the war in Syria and the rise of the Islamic State.

Couture Rouleau lived on a quiet residential street. On Monday night, neighbours said the man’s appearance had changed a lot in recent months.

 

Man shot by police known to federal authorities: PM's office

 

 

Armed Forces member who was run over yesterday in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu has died

 

http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/st-jean-sur-richelieu-police-shoot-armed-man-dead

[Saint]

http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/soldier-killed-at-national-war-memorial-identified-1.2065980

 

Masked gunman killed after Canadian soldier, Cpl. Nathan Cirillo, fatally shot at National War Memorial

 

 

 

You can read more here.

[gymrat76541]

Don't ya just love the fact that they have no one to blame except themselves?

 

Allowing these extremist into the country is the cause! What skill did this individual bring to Canada, which they needed & could not have gotten from a citizen of their country?

 

Canada is no more prepared than the USA. We are ready & equiped to RE-ACT but there is nothing in place to prevent incidents like this from happening!

[bigwave]

"The suspected gunman was shot dead inside the parliament building, Ottawa police said."

 

I wonder if they used pork dipped lead.

 

[Saint]

Americans sure are inconsiderate as to what the Canadians are feelings right now you Americans are inconsiderates

[DinarMillionaire]

Americans sure are inconsiderate as to what the Canadians are feelings right now you Americans are inconsiderates

No need to use such a broad brush. Not all Americans are inconsiderate.

[Nelg]

Saint, I pray that things settle down and that the families of those lost are being comforted.  It is a shame the way the ISC are recruiting spiritually empty souls to do their dirty work for them.  

 

ISC (Islamic State Cowards)

[yota691]

http://youtu.be/9HYNtS0hT1Y

  Ottawa ~ Surveillance Video Shows Ottawa Shooter ( VIDEO )

http://youtu.be/VqzrzJm4QwA

  Ottawa Shooting: Video Ottawa Canada Parliament Shooting - Ottawa Canada Parliament Video Shooting

[dog53]

Now its happened here. Im sure someone will post the specfics . But 4 patrolmen here in the US was attacked by a obvious Jihadist with a hatchet.

So when is this govt going to start acknowledging the ROOT cause of these problems here and abroad.

I will go out on the ole proverbial non politically correct limb here and just say it.

 

 ROOT cause:      Islam  

Now forgive me for not saying Radical Islam

But Im tired real tired of trying to sort them out.

So yes

Islam is the problem