Stephen Harper, Canada’s Prime Minister declared that Canada will not be intimidated by terrorist attacks. His statement comes after a gunman rampaged through the Parliament on Wednesday. He was quickly surrounded and shot dead. The attacker was identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau. Before entering the Parliament, the gunman managed to shoot and kill a soldier at the Ottawa war memorial. Stephen Harper said the attack was initiated by the Islamic State militant group. These attacks might come in response to Canada’s recent decision to join the US-led campaign of airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq. So far, there is no certain confirmations that any of the recent attacks in Canada are directly linked to the Islamist group or the new military campaign.
Stephen Harper declared on a televised interview on Wednesday: “We will not be intimidated. Canada will never be intimidated. In fact, this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts… to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats and keep Canada safe.” He wanted to clarify that the Islamist movement will have no safe haven in Canada. However, he did admit the fact that the last terrorist attacks on Canada prove that they are not completely safe from such Islamist attacks. At the time of the shootings in the Parliament, Stephen Harper was in a meeting with MPs. He was quickly evacuated to safety.
The attack began on Wednesday morning. Two soldiers who were guarding the memorial were the first ones attacked by the gunman, before he managed to enter and run through the Parliament halls. Cpl Nathan Cirillo died after being shot by the gunman. Three other people were injured, however they were quickly released from the hospital. Quickly after the shooting at the memorial, a great number of fires were shot inside the Parliament building. The gunman was killed by Sergeant-at-arms Kevin Vickers. The Islamist attacker, Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, had been previously restricted from traveling. His passport had been taken away because the was suspected of being linked to the Islamist movement. The Islamist attacker had a police record for minor crimes, such as drug possession and robbery. Stephen Harper declared that the man was clearly a terrorist and added: “In the days to come we will learn more about the terrorist and any accomplices he may have had”.