Connect with us

RSS

Quebec man pleads guilty to 3D printing guns and promoting hatred against Jews

The 37-year-old Quebec man arrested last summer and charged with 3D printing firearms and hate speech against Jews has pled guilty in Quebec court.

Pascal Tribout of Saint-Joseph-du-Lac, a small town northwest of Montreal, was arrested and charged in June following a months-long RCMP investigation that resulted in his arrest, along with the seizure of a large quantity of 3D printers, materials and a homemade firearm.

According to Lac des Deux-Montagnes Police, Tribout’s apartment was full of equipment for building firearms, with abundant materials, weapons and machinery discovered when they raided his home in February of this year.

He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing and distributing “computer data relating to firearms or prohibited devices that can be used with a 3D printer,” the first Canadian to plead guilty to the new provision. Tribout also pled guilty to willful promotion of hatred.

He has remained in custody since his arrest in June.

Tribout had spread conspiracy theories on the social media platform Telegram, suggesting that Jews orchestrated the COVID pandemic as a hoax to target the population through vaccines. The court heard that, on an antisemitic online forum, he told an undercover RCMP officer that he supported the idea of death squads to execute Jews and wanted to commit the “perfect crime.”

Tribout also boasted that his weapons could resemble paintball guns and were easily destroyed and reduced to just “pieces of plastic,” and shared images of the weapon, along with instructions and plans to print guns.

Investigators with the RCMP Integrated National Security Enforcement team found more than two dozen printed weapon frames for pistols and semi-automatic rifles, along with a prohibited magazine, Nazi propaganda materials and 3D-printed bladed weapons. Following ballistics tests and inspections by police, the weapon frames were discovered to be not readily functional and easily broken during handling, resulting in an agreement for a plea to the lesser charge of “attempting” to manufacture a prohibited firearm.

Equipment for printing 3D guns, found inside Pascal Tribout’s home. (Credit: RCMP)

Quebec prosecutors sought a five-year prison sentence. Tribout returns to court in April, where he is also expected to apologize to the Jewish community, the result “a major victory against hate in Canada,” B’nai Brith Canada wrote on social media.

“This fellow’s online activities were brought to our attention,” Henry Topas, regional director for Quebec and Atlantic Canada, told The CJN. “And as we have done in other such files, we prepared our own file and brought it to the appropriate hate crimes unit based on what was being said online.” The file first went to Laval police, which then escalated the case to the RCMP, “and the next thing we knew, he had been arrested.”

“We feel we’ve done the community a great service,” said Topas, who also filed a community impact statement with the court, “and hopefully we won’t have to bring such cases again, but that’s probably wishful thinking.”

That statement included a reminder that Jews are the most targeted minority in Canada: “When B’nai Brith Canada learned of Pascal Tribout’s arrest, we were struck by the seriousness and magnitude of the charges against him. Not only is he alleged to have fomented hatred against the Jewish community, but he is also accused of acting on that hatred by setting up a laboratory to produce weapons.

“For the Jewish community of Montreal, which after the Holocaust in Europe became a haven for survivors to rebuild their lives, this dual threat of hatred and the potential for violent action raises horrific fears. Montreal is still home to some elderly survivors and their descendants who bear the scars of their parents and grandparents.

“These scars, combined with the violence we now see on our streets and campuses, make it all the more necessary for the justice system, the last bastion of hope for the community, to stand up and act in the face of these threats,” it continues. “We believe that the sentence handed down must be strictly exemplary and send a clear message to both the accused and his potential accomplices that these types of actions and behaviors will not be tolerated in our country.”

Hatred Elsewhere in Quebec

Meanwhile, an unidentified man from Rivière-du-Loup, 200 km east of Quebec City, was arrested on Dec. 11 for posting hate speech on Telegram and X (formerly Twitter).

According to the RCMP, the 19-year-old individual allegedly posted hundreds of hateful messages in recent months, targeting Jewish communities and sexual minorities in particular.

The man had been previously arrested last February for similar offences, including posting hundreds of hateful messages online since July 2023. He was not charged, but interrogated and released with police-imposed conditions. There are no Jews living in Rivière-du-Loup, whose population numbers approximately 30,000, according to the 2021 census.

The man has not been identified by police because some of the offences were alleged to have occurred when he was a minor. Despite his previous arrest, he continued his illegal activities online, according to an RCMP statement.

RCMP Corporal Martina Pillarova told The CJN, “The postings were threatening violence,” but could not provide any further details, adding this is the first time the young man has been charged.

The man is facing charges in three cases in youth and adult court for willfully inciting hate against identifiable groups—including Jews, racialized persons and the LGBTQ community—and promoting antisemitism by condoning, denying or downplaying the Holocaust. The offences occurred between June 1, 2023, and Dec. 11, 2024.

He pleaded not guilty, was released on bail with condition, and will return to court on Dec. 20 in Rivière-du-Loup.

Topas recalled B’nai Brith Canada’s 2023 annual audit of antisemitic incidents, and what he called “the exponential rise” in online hate. With almost 16 antisemitic incidents occurring every day in Canada, double from the prior year, online harassment was up 137 per cent. “One reading of this is that many people who spend time texting and emailing each other, rather than speaking, they are also feeling some sense of false liberty to sit there in their basement and spew hatred instead of physical harm—neither of which are acceptable.”

The post Quebec man pleads guilty to 3D printing guns and promoting hatred against Jews appeared first on The Canadian Jewish News.

Post Views: 372
Related Topics:
Continue Reading

RSS

French Foreign Minister Says Recognizing Palestinian State Defies Hamas, Despite Terror Group’s Praise

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot speaks to the media on the day he attends the European Union Foreign Ministers council in Brussels, Belgium, July 15, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Yves Herman

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot insisted on Friday that President Emmanuel Macron’s push to recognize a Palestinian state defies Hamas’s interests — even as the terrorist group welcomed the decision.

“Hamas has consistently rejected the two-state solution. By recognizing Palestine, France is rejecting the stance of this terrorist organization and affirming its support for peace over war,” the top French diplomat said in a post on X.

However, Hamas praised France’s latest announcement, calling it “a positive step in the right direction.”

France’s initiative is part of “a political development that reflects growing international conviction in the justice of the Palestinian cause and the failure of the Israeli occupation to distort facts or suppress the will of free nations,” said the Palestinian terrorist group, which has ruled Gaza for nearly two decades.

Hamas also said that such international steps “represent political and moral pressure” on Israel.

On Thursday, Macron announced that France will recognize a Palestinian state and issue a formal statement at the United Nations General Assembly in September as part of its “commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“The urgent priority today is to end the war in Gaza and to bring relief to the civilian population,” the French leader said in a post on X.

Macron called for an immediate ceasefire, the release of all hostages still held by Hamas, and increased humanitarian aid for Gaza.

He also stressed the need to demilitarize the Iran-backed terrorist group, rebuild the war-torn enclave, and create a Palestinian state that recognizes Israel and ensures regional security.

“The French people want peace in the Middle East. It is our responsibility — as French citizens, alongside Israelis, Palestinians, and our European and international partners — to prove that peace is possible,” the French leader wrote.

However, despite Macron’s continued efforts, his controversial diplomatic initiative to recognize a Palestinian state faces widespread public opposition, with nearly 80 percent of French citizens rejecting the move.

A recent survey conducted by the French Institute of Public Opinion (IFOP) on behalf of the Representative Council of Jewish Institutions of France (CRIF) — the main representative body of French Jews — found that 78 percent of respondents opposed a “hasty, immediate, and unconditional recognition of a Palestinian state.”

According to IFOP’s survey, nearly half of French people (47 percent) believe that recognition of a Palestinian state should only be considered after the release of the remaining hostages captured by Hamas during the group’s invasion of southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

The survey also revealed deep concerns about the consequences of such a premature recognition, with 51 percent of respondents fearing a resurgence of antisemitism in France and 50 percent believing it could strengthen Hamas’s position in the Middle East.

France’s policy move comes after Spain, Norway, Ireland, and Slovenia officially recognized a Palestinian state last year, claiming that such a move would contribute to fostering a two-state solution and promote lasting peace in the region.

On Friday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas praised France’s decision, calling it a “victory for the Palestinian cause.”

“This reflects France’s commitment to supporting the Palestinian people and their legitimate rights to their land and their homeland,” Abbas said.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned France’s announcement, describing it as a “reward for terrorism.”

“Such a move … risks creating another Iranian proxy, just as Gaza became,” the Israeli leader said in a post on X.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel. They seek a state instead of Israel,” he continued.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio also denounced the move, calling it “reckless” and saying it “only serves Hamas propaganda.”

The post French Foreign Minister Says Recognizing Palestinian State Defies Hamas, Despite Terror Group’s Praise first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Post Views: 39
Continue Reading

RSS

Costa Rica Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Joining Latin America’s Fight Against Rising Jew-Hatred

Part of an exhibit on the Holocaust supported by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). Photo: courtesy of IHRA.

Costa Rica has formally adopted the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) working definition of antisemitism, becoming the sixth country in Latin America to do so as antisemitic rhetoric and anti-Jewish hatred continue to rise across the region.

Local authorities announced the decision following meetings with a delegation from the American Jewish Committee’s (AJC) Arthur and Rochelle Belfer Institute for Latino and Latin American Affairs.

Among the Latin American countries that have already endorsed the IHRA definition are Argentina, Colombia, Guatemala, Panama, and Uruguay.

An intergovernmental organization comprising dozens of countries, including the United States and Israel, IHRA adopted the “working definition” of antisemitism in 2016.

Since its adoption, the definition has gained widespread support from Jewish organizations and lawmakers around the world, and is now used by hundreds of governmental bodies, including the European Union and the United Nations.

According to the definition, antisemitism “is a certain perception of Jews, which may be expressed as hatred toward Jews. Rhetorical and physical manifestations of antisemitism are directed toward Jewish or non-Jewish individuals and/or their property, toward Jewish community institutions and religious facilities.”

Beyond traditional antisemitic acts associated with the medieval period and Nazi Germany, the definition provides contemporary examples of antisemitism found in public life, media, education, workplaces, and religious settings — including Holocaust denial and modern forms targeting Israel, such as demonizing the Jewish state and denying its right to exist.

Jewish organizations hailed Costa Rica’s recent decision as a significant milestone in the global fight against Jew-hatred, amid a worldwide surge in antisemitism following the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.

“We are grateful that Costa Rica has joined the growing number of nations that view the IHRA definition as an essential guidepost to recognize antisemitism in its various forms so it can be properly addressed,” Dina Siegel Vann, director of AJC’s Institute for Latin American Affairs, said in a statement.

“We urge all nations to take this important step to protect their Jewish communities and uphold their Democratic values,” she continued.

Gilbert Meltzer, president of Costa Rica’s Jewish Community, commended the government’s decision to “support morality and combat discrimination.”

“The increase of hate speech and attacks on Jews all over the world, especially after Oct. 7, demands ethical decisions and firm actions as this one,” Meltzer said in a statement.

The European Jewish Congress also praised Costa Rica’s latest move, describing it as “a timely and courageous step” amid a rising climate of hostility against Jews.

“Defining hate is the first step to combating it. A principled move that must inspire others,” the statement read.

The post Costa Rica Adopts IHRA Definition of Antisemitism, Joining Latin America’s Fight Against Rising Jew-Hatred first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Post Views: 35
Continue Reading

RSS

‘Reckless Decision’: US Officials Blast France for Recognizing Palestinian State

US President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron react on the day of a press conference, at the White House in Washington, DC, US, Feb. 24, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein

US officials were quick to castigate France for its intention to recognize a Palestinian state in September at the United Nations General Assembly, describing the policy as “reckless” and a move that undermines efforts to end the ongoing war in Gaza.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who announced the decision on X, published a letter sent to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas confirming France’s intention to press ahead with Palestinian recognition.

“True to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the State of Palestine,” Macron said. “I will make this solemn announcement at the United Nations General Assembly next September.”

France, home to the third largest Jewish community in the world, will become the first major Western country to recognize a Palestinian state, after smaller nations more generally more critical of Israel did so last year.

Washington lambasted France’s announcement.

“The United States strongly rejects Emmanuel Macron’s plan to recognize a Palestinian state at the UN General Assembly,” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio posted on the X social media platform. “This reckless decision only serves Hamas propaganda and sets back peace. It is a slap in the face to the victims of October 7th.”

Likewise, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee slammed France for moving to recognize a Palestinian state.

“How clever! If Macron can just ‘declare’ the existence of a state perhaps the UK can ‘declare’ France a British colony!” he said on X. “Macron’s unilateral ‘declaration’ of a ‘Palestinian’ state didn’t say WHERE it would be. I can now exclusively disclose that France will offer the French Riviera & the new nation will be called ‘Franc-en-Stine.’”

Huckabee has long opposed the recognition of a Palestinian state. In June, the ambassador said that he did not think that an independent Palestinian state remains a goal of US foreign policy.

US President Donald Trump on Friday dismissed Macron’s plan, saying it won’t make a difference.

“What he says doesn’t matter,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “He’s a very good guy. I like him, but that statement doesn’t carry weight.”

Trump added, “”Look, he’s a different kind of a guy. He’s okay. He’s a team player, pretty much. But here’s the good news: What he says doesn’t matter. It’s not going to change anything.”

Israeli officials lambasted France’s plan as a “reward for terrorism,” arguing a Palestinian state at this time would become a hub for terrorism and likely a proxy of Iran, which has long backed the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas in Gaza.

“A Palestinian state in these conditions would be a launch pad to annihilate Israel — not to live in peace beside it. Let’s be clear: the Palestinians do not seek a state alongside Israel; they seek a state instead of Israel,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a post on X.

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar condemned Macron’s “absurd and unserious” decision that Paris will formally recognize a Palestinian state.

“A Palestinian state would be a Hamas state — just as the [Israeli] withdrawal from the Gaza Strip 20 years ago led to Hamas’s takeover there,” he said in a statement posted on X.

“Israel’s attempt to base its security on Palestinian promises to fight terror failed entirely in the Oslo process,” he continued, referring to the 1990s peace initiative between Israel and the Palestinians that sought a two-state solution. “Israel will no longer gamble with its security and its future.”

Israel maintains that Palestinian statehood should only come as the result of a negotiated peace agreement that ensures Israel’s security and recognition as a Jewish state.

The French announcement comes amid ongoing hostilities in Gaza, where Israeli military operations continue following Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, invasion of and massacre across southern Israel.

Macron defended the decision to recognize a Palestinian state in a statement, saying that the proclamation underscores that France is “true to its historic commitment to a just and lasting peace in the Middle East.”

“We must finally build the State of Palestine, ensure its viability and enable it, by accepting its demilitarization and fully recognizing Israel, to contribute to the security of all in the Middle East,” he added.

The post ‘Reckless Decision’: US Officials Blast France for Recognizing Palestinian State first appeared on Algemeiner.com.

Post Views: 36
Continue Reading

Copyright © 2017 - 2023 Jewish Post & News