The two Canadians who killed soldiers this week both wanted to go to Syria, but in their failed attempts to go abroad, decided to terrorize their homeland.  RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson says these are difficult threats to detect and there’s no way of knowing where or when such an attack will take place.  Paulson says the Parliament Hill shooter Michael Zehaf-Bibeau sympathized with Islamic State terrorists and was trying to leave Canada.  “He had not had his passport removed or seized,” explained Paulson, “He was applying for a passport.  He was a subject of investigation on the passport issuing process.  I’m not inside his head, but I think it was central to what was driving him.  We have not come to ground completely on his motivations for this attack, but clearly it’s linked to his radicalization.”

Paulson explained that aside from their desire to go to Syria to join the terrorists, there was no link between Zehaf-Bibeau and Martin Couture-Rouleau, who killed a Canadian soldier in a hit and run in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec on Monday.

Security is a big focus in the wake of the Parliament Hill attacks.  NDP MP Peggy Nash told the New AM 740’s Goldhawk Fights Back, “I think we need to see what an investigation brings and where the breach was and how this person who was armed, and that’s another question, why was he armed? I think we need to find out exactly what happened and if there are additional measures that need to be taken.”

As part of immediate changes, Prime Minister Harper will be have full security detail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  While some security guards working inside the Parliament buildings are not allowed to carry weapons, not all are armed. Justice Minister Peter MacKay says that is another area of security that will be examined.