Halifax Man Charged Over Bomb Threat to US Consulate

Canadian police have charged a man in connection with a bomb threat against the U.S. Consulate in Halifax, marking the latest security scare involving an American diplomatic mission in Canada.

Ali Assakereh, 54, was arrested after authorities received a threat on Sunday night. The following morning, Halifax Regional Police located a vehicle linked to the suspect parked near the consulate, prompting the evacuation of several downtown streets.

Inside the vehicle, officers discovered a propane tank and containers believed to hold flammable liquids. An explosives expert later determined the items posed no threat to public safety, and the evacuation was lifted by Monday afternoon.

Assakereh has been charged with uttering threats and public mischief. He was scheduled to appear in provincial court on Tuesday.

A spokesperson for the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa declined to comment on the matter while the police investigation is ongoing.

The Halifax incident follows two separate shootings at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto this year. In March, two people fired multiple shots at the building, causing damage but no injuries. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police classified that attack as a national security incident.

The consulate was targeted again on July 27, when a shot was fired at the building. Toronto police later arrested a 19-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy in connection with that incident, and investigators were examining possible links to a broader gun-for-hire network. No one was injured in either shooting.

Authorities have not indicated any connection between the Halifax threat and the Toronto shootings.