Two men believed to be part of a terrorist ring in Canada were arrested last summer while trying to smuggle guns and ammunition from the United States, authorities said.
Mohammed Dirie, 22, and Yasin Abdi Mohamed, 24, were both in jail serving two-year sentences for weapons smuggling when they were hit with new Canadian terrorism charges Friday.
The men were among 12 adults and five suspects younger than 18 charged with plotting an attack in southern Ontario.
Dirie and Mohamed, both Somali immigrants living in Kingston, Ontario, were arrested Aug. 13 after being questioned and searched by Canadian Border Services inspectors at Peace Bridge between Buffalo and Canada.
The inspectors found Mohamed had a semiautomatic handgun taped under his clothes, and Dirie had two handguns taped to his inner thighs, the Toronto Star reported. Officers also found about 200 rounds of ammunition in bags. It was not known where the men had obtained the weapons, the newspaper said.
Authorities in Buffalo said they were not aware of any ties between the men and western New York.
“We’re watching the situation 24/7. We’re monitoring it very closely,” U.S. Attorney Terrance Flynn said.