Adel Arnaout
Encyclopedia
Adel Mohamed Arnaout is an alleged criminal landed Lebanese immigrant living in Toronto
, Ontario
, who is accused of sending three letter bombs out to residents of the Greater Toronto area in August 2007.
The first recipient of the letter bomb was Abdelmagid Radi on August 11, who sustained minor injuries on opening the letter. The second bomb was sent to real estate lawyer Terrence Reiber on August 19, who called police after noticing a petroleum-type odour coming form the letter. Police destroyed the letter bomb. Reiber had represented Arnaout in a previous criminal matter. The third bomb was received by Guelph
, Ontario
resident John Becker on August 22. The device failed to explode. Becker confirmed Arnaout had been a tenant at two of his Guelph properties 3 years earlier before being evicted.
Arnaout had a previous conviction for criminal harassment
in April, 2003, for which he received a conditional discharge. The charge stemmed the harassing of managers of a Toronto modelling agency with which he had signed, hoping for a career as a male model. When Arnaout failed to get any work as a model, he allegedly began calling the agency repeatedly and threatening them, claiming to be a member of the Russian mafia.
Police were already investigating Arnaout since June 2007 after harassment complaints by Toronto resident Steven Scott. Arnaout was wanted on an arrest warrant which had been was issued on June 26 charging him with criminal harassment of Scott, a former employer.
On August 30, 2007, Arnaout was taken into custody in connection to the letter bombs. At the time of his arrest, a rental car driven by him was found with 3 similar explosives inside. The Toronto Police bomb disposal unit did not defuse the explosives but instead transported them to the Leslie Street Spit
where they were destroyed in a controlled exposion. The transport of the explosives by police closed the Don Valley Parkway
and parts of the Gardiner Expressway
for several hours. After his arrest, police also search his rental apartment in a East York
home, nicknamed the Bombay Bunker.
Police indicated the bombings were not due to racial or terrorist motives.
Arnaout now faces three counts of attempted murder, three counts of attempt to cause an explosion, one count of illegal possession of explosives, and one count of criminal harassment.
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, who is accused of sending three letter bombs out to residents of the Greater Toronto area in August 2007.
The first recipient of the letter bomb was Abdelmagid Radi on August 11, who sustained minor injuries on opening the letter. The second bomb was sent to real estate lawyer Terrence Reiber on August 19, who called police after noticing a petroleum-type odour coming form the letter. Police destroyed the letter bomb. Reiber had represented Arnaout in a previous criminal matter. The third bomb was received by Guelph
Guelph
Guelph is a city in Ontario, Canada.Guelph may also refer to:* Guelph , consisting of the City of Guelph, Ontario* Guelph , as the above* University of Guelph, in the same city...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
resident John Becker on August 22. The device failed to explode. Becker confirmed Arnaout had been a tenant at two of his Guelph properties 3 years earlier before being evicted.
Arnaout had a previous conviction for criminal harassment
Harassment
Harassment covers a wide range of behaviors of an offensive nature. It is commonly understood as behaviour intended to disturb or upset, and it is characteristically repetitive. In the legal sense, it is intentional behaviour which is found threatening or disturbing...
in April, 2003, for which he received a conditional discharge. The charge stemmed the harassing of managers of a Toronto modelling agency with which he had signed, hoping for a career as a male model. When Arnaout failed to get any work as a model, he allegedly began calling the agency repeatedly and threatening them, claiming to be a member of the Russian mafia.
Police were already investigating Arnaout since June 2007 after harassment complaints by Toronto resident Steven Scott. Arnaout was wanted on an arrest warrant which had been was issued on June 26 charging him with criminal harassment of Scott, a former employer.
On August 30, 2007, Arnaout was taken into custody in connection to the letter bombs. At the time of his arrest, a rental car driven by him was found with 3 similar explosives inside. The Toronto Police bomb disposal unit did not defuse the explosives but instead transported them to the Leslie Street Spit
Leslie Street Spit
The Leslie Street Spit, or officially the Outer Harbour East Headland, is a man-made headland in Toronto, Ontario, extending from the city's east end in a roughly southwesterly direction into Lake Ontario. It is about 5 km long....
where they were destroyed in a controlled exposion. The transport of the explosives by police closed the Don Valley Parkway
Don Valley Parkway
The Don Valley Parkway is a controlled-access six-lane municipal expressway in Toronto connecting the Gardiner Expressway in downtown Toronto with Ontario Highway 401, the Macdonald–Cartier Freeway. North of Highway 401, it continues as Ontario Highway 404. The parkway runs through...
and parts of the Gardiner Expressway
Gardiner Expressway
The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, colloquially referred to as "the Gardiner", is a municipal expressway in the Canadian province of Ontario, connecting downtown Toronto with its western suburbs...
for several hours. After his arrest, police also search his rental apartment in a East York
East York
East York can refer to:*East York, Pennsylvania, United States*East York, Ontario, Canada...
home, nicknamed the Bombay Bunker.
Police indicated the bombings were not due to racial or terrorist motives.
Arnaout now faces three counts of attempted murder, three counts of attempt to cause an explosion, one count of illegal possession of explosives, and one count of criminal harassment.