Three individuals who were implicated in terrorism-related activities in Quebec are set to face trial following the submission of a direct indictment by the federal Crown prosecutor’s office on November 7, which also introduced fresh charges. This legal maneuver circumvents the preliminary inquiry that had been requested by the defendants’ legal representatives in September. Authorized by the attorney general of Canada or deputy attorney general, the indictment signifies that the case will be transferred to Superior Court, where a trial could potentially commence in 2026.
In July, the RCMP laid charges against four men, including two serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF), alleging their involvement in a purported anti-government scheme to seize land forcibly in the Quebec City area. Authorities labeled the scheme as an act of “ideologically motivated violent extremism.” Alongside weapon-related charges, three of the accused individuals—Marc-Aurèle Chabot, 24, Simon Angers-Audet, 24, and Raphaël Lagacé, 25—have been charged with the serious offense of facilitating a terrorist activity. Bail was denied to them in August.
Chabot, identified in court documents as the de facto leader of the group, is now facing additional charges of instructing individuals to participate in activities for a terrorist organization, an offense punishable by life imprisonment. According to the federal prosecutor’s office, between June 2021 and January 2024, Chabot allegedly provided instructions, directly or indirectly, to Angers-Audet, Lagacé, or other associates linked to an alleged anti-government faction of current and former military personnel known as Hide & Stalk, to engage in activities benefiting a terrorist group. The trio also faces a new charge of utilizing or holding property for terrorist purposes.
In September, three of the four men opted for a jury trial and requested a preliminary inquiry, slated for a two-week duration in January, during which a judge would assess the evidence for trial suitability. However, the direct indictment alters the course of proceedings. Noah Weisbord, a criminal law professor at McGill University, highlighted that such a strategy is occasionally employed by the Crown in cases involving terrorism or significant organized criminal activities for swift trial progression and better management of evidence disclosure challenges.
A fourth individual, Matthew Forbes, 33, from Pont-Rouge, Que., is facing charges related to possession of firearms, prohibited devices, explosives, controlled items, and violations of the Explosives Act and Defence Production Act. Forbes was granted bail under stringent conditions. Notably, both Chabot and Forbes were serving military personnel at Canadian Forces Base Valcartier near Quebec City at the time of their arrest on July 8.
