Toronto Man Accused of Working With ISIS Faces Terror Charges Targeting Jews and Women

Three arrests follow two foiled kidnapping attempts

Toronto police announced the arrest of three individuals after two separate attempts to abduct victims were thwarted. One of the detainees, Mohamed Al‑Saadi (27), is now facing a charge of providing material support to the Islamic State (ISIS) and conspiring to target Jewish community members and women.

The investigation, which began in early June, uncovered a plot that aimed to kidnap a woman of Middle Eastern descent and a member of the local Jewish congregation. Both attempts were aborted when the suspects were spotted by bystanders and fled the scene.

According to Toronto Police Service spokesperson Detective Lara Nguyen, “The suspects had been surveilling potential victims for weeks, gathering personal details and planning the attacks with alarming precision.”

Authorities say the three men—Al‑Saadi, Ahmed Rahman (31) and Samuel Cohen (29)—were detained on October 12, 2025 at separate locations across the Greater Toronto Area. While Rahman and Cohen are being held on charges of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, Al‑Saadi faces the more serious terrorism‑related offenses.

The Crown Prosecutor, James Whitaker, emphasized the gravity of the allegations: “If convicted, the accused could face life imprisonment for providing support to a designated terrorist organization and for planning attacks that specifically targeted vulnerable groups based on religion and gender.”

Community leaders have expressed relief that the plot was intercepted. Rabbi David Goldstein of the Shaar Hashomayim congregation said, “We are grateful to law‑enforcement for protecting our community and for sending a clear message that hate‑driven violence will not be tolerated.” Women’s advocacy groups also welcomed the arrests, noting the importance of swift action against gender‑based threats.

The case will proceed to the Ontario Superior Court of Justice next month, where the defendants are expected to enter pleas. Police continue to investigate whether additional individuals were involved in the planning stages.