ISIS Sympathizers Plan To Strike In Canada With ‘Knife And Gun’ Attacks, Officials Claim

ISIS sympathizers have been discussing possible “knife and gun” attacks in Canada, intelligence officials warn.

Some individuals either linked to the Islamist militant group or inspired by them have begun discussing attacks on U.S. citizens and other U.S. and Western targets in Canada, the officials told NBC News. But the possible attacks are not fully formed, and there is not yet talk of crossing into the United Sates to strike, officials added.

Officials say they are keeping close watch on “hundreds of people” in Canada who have either spent time in Syria to join ISIS or have tried unsuccessfully to return to Canada.

They believe the threat to American and Canadian interests is very real, as NBC News reports.

“Both U.S. and Canadian officials fear the beheading of an innocent person in a public place, or the slashing of citizens on a crowded street until police arrive to shoot and ‘martyr’ the terrorists.

“Canadian officials are weighing increased security around public buildings in coming days, government officials there say. The increased concern is prompted in part by Tuesday’s vote in the Canadian parliament to join the coalition of nations carrying out airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq.”

Similar attacks have already been thwarted in Australia, where last month police arrested 15 people in a series of suburban raids. The group of ISIS sympathizers reportedly planned to kidnap and behead innocent people in public spaces in two cities.

There have also been reports that ISIS members have been arrested trying to cross the Mexican border into the United States, though there is no confirmation of the report. Some believe reports of ISIS members crossing the border are concocted as a smear against Obama.

In Canada, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said the threat of ISIS cannot be taken lightly.

“If left unchecked this terrorist organization will grow and grow quickly. They have already voiced their local and international terrorist intentions and identified Canada as a potential target.”

This week, new evidence of North American involvement in ISIS surfaced. The FBI released to the public a video showing an ISIS militant speaking in an American or Canadian accent. In the video, he is seen with Syrian soldiers digging their own graves, and the men are later executed