Ottawa man charged with 'terrorism threats' against Parliament Hill, others

A 19-year-old Ottawa man is facing charges for allegedly posting threatening tweets targeted at Parliament Hill, the Department of National Defence and the embassies of China and the United States.

In a media release, the RCMP said its Integrated National Security Enforcement Team was notified on Nov. 8 of "death and terrorism-related threats" made on Twitter.

Daniel Gervais Houde was charged in November with four counts each of a terrorist hoax, threatening to cause death or bodily harm to a person and threatening to burn, damage and destroy property.

According to court documents, Houde allegedly threatened to use explosives against members of Parliament, "a homemade dirty bomb" on both the Department of National Defence and the U.S. Embassy and "jet fuel" at the Chinese Embassy.

Houde was released on conditions that include a weapons ban. He is also barred from being within 50 metres of Parliament Hill and the U.S. and Chinese embassies, and he must not communicate with their staff.

A spokesperson for the RCMP's Ontario division said in an email that the threat targeting the Defence Department was "not directed at a specific unit," and the same Twitter post mentioned the U.S. Pentagon.

Houde has not yet entered a plea and his lawyer, Oliver Abergel, declined an interview.

He is set to appear in an Ottawa courtroom again on Jan. 18.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 3, 2023.

This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.