Man charged in connection to several IEDs
A Calgary man has been charged in connection with the discovery of several improvised explosive devices and weapons. Although the devices posed a legitimate threat, investigators do not believe there was a specific intended target, nor connection to any terrorism-related group.
Around 4 a.m., on Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2022, a witness driver reported seeing a van parked on the righthand shoulder of southbound Deerfoot Trail just after Country Hills Boulevard. As the driver approached the van, a person stepped into the laneway in front of the witness and pointed a firearm at the witness. The driver found a safe place to pull over and called police.
Officers arrived in the area and conducted a high-risk vehicle stop on the suspect van, a 1997 Chevrolet Venture. A man and a woman were safely taken into custody. Nearby, officers located a Remington 870 12-gauge shotgun with one shell in the magazine.
The van was towed to the Forensic Crime Scenes Unit for further investigation. Upon an initial search of the van, officers located a bag containing what appeared to be an improvised explosive device. The area was contained, and the Tactical Unit was called in. In total, the van contained what is believed to be three improvised explosive devices, homemade body armour and an assault style .22 rifle.
Later that same day, Tuesday, Feb. 15, a search warrant was conducted on a residence in the 1200 block of 8 Avenue N.E. Two more devices believed to be improvised explosives, three flares, two smoke bombs and two imitation handguns were located.
A thorough investigation involving several specialty units within the Calgary Police Service was conducted throughout the past couple of days, and investigators believe the accused does not have ties to any terrorist organizations and was acting alone.
The woman who was taken into custody at the high-risk vehicle stop was charged in relation to possession of a small amount of methamphetamine, as well as possession of a concealed weapon, and has since been released from custody.
Wayne MCGUIRE, 52, has been charged with 15 additional criminal charges including; Make an Explosive Substance, Possess an explosive substance, and other weapon related offences. He will next appear in court on February 25, 2022.
“The exceptional professionalism of our frontline officers and the skill of our Tactical Unit kept the public safe and our officers safe throughout this ordeal by successfully containing and safely dealing with the devices. This incident posed a very real threat to officers and citizens alike. We know many people will have concerns about the potential motivation and target of these devices. A thorough investigation has been conducted and we can say at this time, there is no information to suggest a specific person or group of people were targeted, nor do we believe the accused has connections to any terrorist organizations,” says General Investigations Unit Staff Sergeant Mark Neufeld.
Case #22062249