Foreign Entity Hired Toronto Gunmen for Synagogue Attacks as Raid Killed 1 Police Officer
Updated
Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 18
Foreign Entity Hired Toronto Gunmen for Synagogue Attacks as Raid Killed 1 Police Officer
3 articles · Updated · The Globe and Mail · Jun 18
Summary
Ruby Sahota told Parliament that a “foreign entity” paid gunmen to shoot at Toronto synagogues, tying the claim to the government’s proposed lawful-access surveillance bill.
Toronto police had said a day earlier that a shooters-for-hire network targeted synagogues, businesses, homes and the U.S. Consulate, recruiting young men online and paying them to film the attacks.
Last week’s raid on alleged network members ended with Constable Marc Pinizzotto dead; Nicholas Bennett, 19, was seriously injured and charged with first-degree murder.
Police also charged Sheldon Tracey-Stewart over the March consulate shooting and are seeking 19-year-old Zara Jabbi; officers say two seized handguns are linked to 27 shootings across the Toronto area.
Authorities have not confirmed a link between the Toronto attacks and Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, the alleged Iran-linked Iraqi suspect whom U.S. prosecutors tied to the consulate shooting.
How did Iran's IRGC allegedly recruit Toronto youth online to attack synagogues and a US consulate?
With teens acting as paid shooters for foreign powers, what is the true scale of this threat in Canada?
Is a new surveillance bill a necessary tool against terror or a dangerous threat to Canadian privacy?
Toronto’s 2026 Violence Crisis: 21+ Shootings, Foreign Influence, and the Digital Recruitment of Youth
Overview
Toronto is facing a growing network of violence as of June 18, 2026, with police actively pursuing suspects and announcing charges linked to a series of shootings. Central to the investigation is Zara Jabbi, 19, who remains at large for her alleged role in the US consulate attack in March, where no injuries occurred. Authorities had previously identified Jabbi as a key suspect, leading to recent search warrants. This situation highlights the complex and interconnected nature of the criminal landscape in Toronto, as law enforcement works to address both local and broader threats.