A stabbing attack at a Toronto massage parlor in February in which one woman was killed and another injured is now being treated as a terrorist attack, allegedly inspired by the so-called misogynistic “incel ideology.”
Canadian police uncovered new evidence, upgrading charges in the case to ‘murder – terrorist activity’ on Tuesday. The 17-year-old suspect, whose name has not been released as he’s still a minor, is already facing murder and attempted murder charges.
The attack “was inspired by the Ideologically Motivated Violent Extremist (IMVE) movement commonly known as INCEL,” the RCMP and Toronto Police Service said in a joint statement.
“As a result, federal and provincial Attorney Generals have consented to commence terrorism proceedings, alleging that the murder was terrorist activity … and the attempted murder was terrorist activity,” the statement reads.
The term ‘incel’ is short for “involuntary celibates” – young men, who desire to have sex, but are unable to find a partner, and blame women for their unfortunate situation. The incel movement is generally seen as a misogynistic one, as its self-proclaimed members often promote violence against women on the internet.
According to local media, it’s the first ever suspected case of incel terrorism on Canadian soil. Moreover, it’s the first time the country’s anti-terrorism laws have been used to prosecute someone who was not an Islamic extremist.
The deadly stabbing occurred in Toronto in late February when a knife-wielding attacker walked into the Crown Spa parlor which provides “sensual body rub” and “exotic massage” services, according to the establishment’s website. The assailant killed one 24-year-old woman at the premises and injured a second, who managed to wrestle the weapon from him and stab the attacker. The injured suspect was arrested at the scene.
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