Who is Martin Couture-Rouleau? - Action News
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Who is Martin Couture-Rouleau?

He may have been just a "lone wolf", working without links to any other radical groups, possibly motivated by Canada's recent involvement in the fight against ISIS. But what's known for sure is that Martin Couture-Rouleau was clearly considered some kind of threat by the Canadian government.

Who is Martin Couture-Rouleau?

10 years ago
Duration 3:14
Police reveal they had multiple contacts with the 'radicalized' man

He may have been just a "lone wolf,"workingwithout links to any other radical groups, his deadly actions possibly motivated by Canada's involvement in the fight against ISIS.

But what's known for sure is that Martin Couture-Rouleauhadbeenconsidered some kind of threat by the Canadian government.

And as details began to emerge aboutthe 25-year-old,who had a pressure-washing business registered in Quebec, theybegan to paint a picture of a man who seemed to have embraced extremist ideas, and who, according to one friend, dreamed of dying as a martyr.

As Public Safety Minister Steve Blaney asserted at a morning news conference, Couture-Rouleau, who waited in aparking lotforat least two hours before driving hiscar into two Canadian soldiers,wasclearly linked to terrorist ideology.

The RCMP revealedthat officials hadbeen monitoringCouture-Rouleau closely, concerned that he had become radicalized." OnTuesday,RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulsonconfirmed that Couture-Rouleau'spassport had been seized and that hewas one of the 90 suspected extremistswho the RCMP believed intended to join militants fightingabroad.

And all of this has left his friends and familyin shock.GillesRouleau, Martin'sfather, was in tears this morning when he spoke to Radio-Canada

'I lost my son'

I lost my son, my son is everywhere [in the media] this morning. Leave me in peace. I have no comment."

Coutoure-Rouleau lived with his father in aSt-Jean-sur-Richelieu white brick family home, where neighbours say they watched Couture-Rouleauchange over the last year since his conversion to Islam.They say he grew a beard andstopped wearing jeansin favour of Islamic clothing.

A photo of Martin Rouleau holding the Qur'an. He had changed his name on Facebook to Ahmad the Converted. (Facebook)

CBC News spoke with Faisal, a Facebook friend of Couture-Rouleaus in Saudi Arabia, whodescribed Couture-Rouleau as a really kind person."

He said he befriended Couture-Rouleau on Facebook and began messaginghim in June.

"I was actually looking over some posts on Facebook ... and I saw all these people,they were for some reason dissing Islam, making fun of us, so Isaw him actually replying in a really calm, modest, humble way," Faisal told CBC News.

But Faisal added that this was before he found out Couture-Rouleauwas a supporter of ISIS.

Faisal, who spoke on the condition CBC News not publish his last name, said he changed the topic of conversation in the few instances Couture-Rouleau mentioned ISIS to him.

He referred to Couture-Rouleau as Ahmad, the name he adopted when he converted to Islam.

Faisal said he lived in Canada for a period of time, and did not agree with Couture-Rouleau when he allegedly called some members of Canadas military personnel infidels.

Angrythat Canada supported U.S. bombing of ISIS

"So he was really mad that Canada actually supported the American bombing of [ISIS] in Syria and Iraq so I think that was the main motive in killing that Canadian soldier."

Radio-Canada reported that Couture-Rouleau'sFacebook page, which is no longer active, identifies him as AhmadLeConverti(Ahmad the Converted).Legal documents showCouture-Rouleauconverted to Islamin 2013

Propaganda videosand other materials admiring jihador holy war against enemies of Islam were on hisFacebook profile page, including a video featuring the logo for ISIS.

On a separateFacebook page, under the name Ahmad Rouleau, the profile picture had been changed last Friday toshowa picture of two doors opening, one that appears to beleading to heaven, and one to hell.

Months earlier, on April 14, one of the postsreads:"Allah has promised the hypocrite men and hypocrite women and the disbelievers the fire of hell, wherein they will abide eternally. It is sufficient for them. And Allah has cursed them, and for them is an enduring punishment."

Underneath thatpost wasthe image of a sheik, combined with an Israeli and American flag and American dollar bill. It's one of a series of images critical of American foreign policy. The pagealso features links toanti-Semiticvideos posted on YouTube.

On thatFacebook page, Couture-Rouleau defends Islam, at one point writing "don't judge Islam by what other[s] do....study for yourself ... read the Qur'an."

According to information Radio-Canada obtained from a friend of Couture-Rouleau, hehad convinced at least four or five people in his circle of friends to convert to Islam. But he said thatCouture-Rouleaugot carried away with an extreme interpretationof the Qur'an.

The friend said Couture-Rouleauspent hours on the internet and devoured jihadist literature, adding that Couture-Rouleau dreamed of dying as a martyr.

'Seems to be a lone wolf'

Dave Charland, a former intelligence officer with CSIS, said from the information he's gleaned so far about Couture-Rouleau, he believes Couture-Rouleau"seems to be a lone wolf" in part because of the lack of sophistication of the attack.

"Based on what's public right now, I don't think he had any links with any groups but clearly he had an extremist ideology. So he must have influences."

RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulsonconfirmed that Couture-Rouleau'spassport had been seized and that hewas one of90 suspected extremistswho the RCMP believed intended to join militants fightingabroad.

With files from Justin Hayward and Melinda Dalton