Ex-Canadian justice minister targeted in alleged Iranian assassination plot

Nov 20, 2024

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), William Jackson (Producer), Michael Edwards (Video Editor)

Canadian authorities have reportedly foiled an alleged Iranian plot to assassinate Irwin Cotler, a former Canadian justice minister and prominent human rights advocate. Cotler, 84, was informed by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) on Oct. 26 about the threat and has since been placed under police protection.

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Cotler, a longtime critic of Iran’s government, has been vocal in condemning Tehran’s actions, including its involvement in the 2020 downing of Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752, which killed all 176 passengers. He has also campaigned to have Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) designated as a terrorist organization.

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According to Canadian media reports, the alleged plot involved two suspected Iranian agents and was considered an imminent threat. Security officials linked the threat to Cotler’s public criticism of Iran and his advocacy for human rights. Cotler had already been under surveillance following the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks in Israel, which raised concerns about his safety.

Cotler responded to the alleged plot by stating, “We hold the regime accountable and send the message that we will not be intimidated or silenced.” He characterized Iran as a leading state actor in what he described as “transnational repression” and “transnational assassination.”

Canadian officials have not disclosed specific details about the investigation, and the RCMP has not confirmed whether arrests were made. The Iranian mission to the United Nations has not commented on the allegations.

Cotler’s name also reportedly appeared in a separate FBI investigation into an Iranian-linked assassination plot in the United States. That plot, revealed in 2022, targeted American human rights activist Masih Alinejad. While Cotler was not listed as a target, he was contacted by the FBI in connection to the investigation.

Canada severed diplomatic ties with Iran more than a decade ago and listed the IRGC as a terrorist entity earlier this year. The latest developments have heightened concerns over Iran’s activities abroad. Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc described the situation as “very concerning,” while Jean-Yves Duclos, Quebec’s senior minister, expressed support for Cotler and his family.

Cotler, who resides in Quebec, is the founder of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights. He has represented political prisoners and dissidents globally and served as Canada’s first special envoy on Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism.

Tags: Assassination, Canada, Human Rights, Iran, Iran Protests, Islamic Republic of Iran, Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps

[Karah Rucker]

CANADIAN AUTHORITIES HAVE UNCOVERED AND STOPPED AN ALLEGED IRANIAN PLOT TO ASSASSINATE A FORMER JUSTICE MINISTER. IRWIN COTLER — AN 84-YEAR-OLD HUMAN RIGHTS ADVOCATE, KNOWN FOR HIS OUTSPOKEN CRITICISM OF TEHRAN — WAS ALERTED BY THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE ON OCTOBER 26 ABOUT AN IMMINENT THREAT.

AUTHORITIES SAY IRANIAN AGENTS WERE BEHIND THE PLAN, WHICH LED TO COTLER BEING PLACED UNDER POLICE PROTECTION.

COTLER, A VOCAL CRITIC OF IRAN’S GOVERNMENT, HAS CALLED OUT ITS HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES, ITS ROLE IN THE 2020 DOWNING OF A UKRAINIAN AIRLINER, AND ITS SUPPORT FOR GROUPS LIKE HAMAS. HE ALSO LED EFFORTS TO DESIGNATE IRAN’S ISLAMIC REVOLUTIONARY GUARD CORPS AS A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, A MOVE CANADA FORMALIZED IN JUNE.

THE PLOT FOLLOWS A PATTERN OF ALLEGED IRANIAN ATTEMPTS TO TARGET DISSIDENTS AND CRITICS ABROAD. IN FACT, COTLER’S NAME SURFACED IN A SEPARATE FBI INVESTIGATION INTO AN IRANIAN MURDER-FOR-HIRE SCHEME TARGETING HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN THE U.S. WHILE NOT A DIRECT TARGET IN THAT CASE, HIS ADVOCACY WORK CONTINUES TO DRAW ATTENTION FROM TEHRAN.

SENIOR GOVERNMENT MINISTERS HAVE CONDEMNED THE ALLEGED PLOT, DESCRIBING IT AS A CONCERNING ESCALATION. COTLER HIMSELF SAID THE INCIDENT HIGHLIGHTS THE DANGERS POSED BY TRANSNATIONAL REPRESSION AND CALLED FOR GREATER ACCOUNTABILITY FOR IRAN’S ACTIONS.