Ottawa terrorist twin released to halfway house, accused of trying to radicalize inmates

Carlos Larmond, one of the twins jailed for attempting to leave Canada in 2016 to fight with the Islamic State has recently been released from prison and is living in Calgary in a halfway house.

The Ottawa Citizen reports that the 29-year-old was moved to the Special Handling Unit in Quebec after being seen as a security threat. The SHU is Canada’s highest security prison and has held criminals such as Luka Magnotta, Clifford Olson, Karla Komolka and Maurice “Mom” Boucher.

Larmond and his twin brother were involved in an Ottawa terror cluster that involved men who fought overseas for the Islamic State. Many arrests were made involving members of the group.

Larmond was transferred to a max-security prison in 2017 after his prisoner status was changed. His classification was changed again in 2019 to medium security offender who poses a high risk to public safety.

In a review of the case, a member of the parole board wrote, “You have not shown significant indications of change since incarceration, with you attempting to radicalize others and threatening authority figures.”

“Had you followed through with these plans, you would likely have been directly or indirectly involved in the killing and injuring of many people.”

“While your violent history is limited, you displayed a significant commitment to your cause and continued to engage in those beliefs while incarcerated.”

Larmond’s potential risk to national security and others was described as “exceptional” by the parole board member.

After being given five years in 2016, Larmond has been released under a statutory-release law. He is meant to serve the remainder of his sentence among the community.

The parole board did not grant Larmond’s release but it has the ability to force certain conditions.

The board demanded that he live in a halfway house and adhere to restrictions such as a curfew and police checks were his phone is reviewed.

His release is scheduled for 2021 if none of his conditions are breached.

Larmond was initially arrested in Montreal in January of 2015 while boarding a plane with intentions to fly overseas and join an Islamic State camp.

His brother, Ashton, was the main influence of his quick transition into Islamic extremism.

Ashton was sentenced to 17 years after he was arrested in Ottawa around the same time. The RCMP used a wiretap which revealed the thoughts and plans of Ashton who was the leader of the group.

While in a Tim Hortons, Ashton saw a soldier and expressed that he wanted to slit the man’s throat. When talking about a terror attack that took place at a cafe in Sydney, Australia, Ashton said how he thought the attack should have been carried out.

He said, “You take the head off one of them, then you’re in control.”

Before being convicted, Larmond was attacked after reportedly threatening a man in Innes Road Jail after the man would not convert to Islam. The Ottawa Citizen reported that Larmond told fellow inmates that ISIL would kill their families if they did not convert.

Court documents show that the twins were drug dealers in Ottawa before their arrests.