Jewish organizations, hospitals receive bomb threats: B’nai Brith

Police in multiple cities across Canada are responding to bomb threats that were sent to Jewish organizations, synagogues and some hospitals Wednesday morning.

B’nai Brith Canada says more than 100 Jewish institutions received an email at 5 a.m. ET threatening explosions in locations across the country.

“To the best of my knowledge, all the targeted organizations, institutions across the country received the exact same email. It was one mass email to dozens of Jewish institutions across the country and to the hospitals in the Ottawa area,” Richard Robertson, director of research and advocacy, B’nai Brith Canada, said in an interview Wednesday.

“Given the scope of the institutions targeted from coast to coast, Jewish institutions, as well as hospitals and medical facilities in the Ottawa area, I think that we can say that the intention of whoever is responsible for this threat was to intimidate and harass the Jewish community. That’s made very clear by the sheer number of Jewish institutions across the country that were the focus and the target of this threat.”

Synagogues, Jewish community centres, and hospitals in Toronto, Montreal, and Ottawa are among those which confirmed they have received the threat. Threats were also reportedly sent to groups in B.C.

The RCMP said they were aware of the threats made today across Canada and they are working with local law enforcement who are responding to ensure locations are safe and secure.

“We want to reassure the public that the safety and security of Canadians is our top priority. The RCMP can confirm that the Federal Policing National Security Program is investigating the source of the threats,” continued their statement.

In a post on X, Toronto Police Service said some buildings in an area of North York were evacuated as a precaution due to a bomb threat, but did not specify which buildings were targeted.

“We are aware of threats made via email to Jewish organizations across Canada. … We are continuing to address the possible impact in Toronto,” it said.

In York Region, police say they also received an email and Jewish institutes within York were included in the email threat.

On Wednesday, August 21, 2024, at approximately 10:00 a.m., York Regional Police received a report of a threatening mass e-mail targeting Jewish institutes across Canada. Jewish institutes within York Region were included in this e-mail threat.

“While no specific locations were identified in the e-mail, officers attended multiple locations in York Region and confirmed there was no threat to public safety,” read their statement.

They add the investigation is still in its infancy and officers will be conducting additional patrols in the areas around Jewish institutes and places of worship throughout the region.

Ottawa police say they are on site at several hospitals in the capital but indicated the RCMP is taking the lead on the investigation.

A spokesperson from the Queensway Carleton Hospital in Ottawa said police determined the situation was “low risk” but that an extensive sweep had been carried out at the hospital and grounds.

“Authorities are treating this as a hate crime and are taking immediate, decisive action to protect our people,” B’nai Brith said on social media.

The organization says the threats “aim to terrorize our communities and erode our Canadian values,” adding all people should feel safe in this country.