Canada on high alert as shooting clues probed

By Randall Palmer

Canada's capital faced a third day of heightened security as police searched for any clues that the man who shot and killed a soldier and charged into the parliament building had help in plotting his attack.

Groups gathered early around the national war memorial where the soldier, Cpl Nathan Cirillo (24), was slain at the start of a brazen daylight attack by a man police identified as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, a 32-year-old Canadian citizen.

The attack by Zehaf-Bibeau, who according to US sources was a recent convert to Islam, came two days after another incident in Quebec, in which Martin Rouleau (25) drove over two soldiers, killing one.

Both attackers were shot dead by security officers.

The attacks on soldiers came during a week when the Canadian military sent six fighter jets to the Middle East to take part in a campaign of air strikes against Islamic State militants.

Separately yesterday, officials reported that an unidentified yellow powder was found at the Canadian consulate in Istanbul, with the German and Belgian consulates receiving similar packages.

hnews@herald.ie