New details provided by an informant in the Quebec City terrorism case have revealed that the three accused men were allegedly preparing for a hypothetical zombie apocalypse. The informant, a former member of the group Hide & Stalk, which is believed to be an anti-government Instagram group consisting of current and ex-military personnel, shared this information as part of an ongoing legal proceeding.
The revelations were contained in an Information to Obtain (ITO), a document submitted by law enforcement to secure a search warrant. It is important to note that these claims and sources have not yet been scrutinized in court. The publication ban on the informant’s identity and the data he disclosed to the police was lifted recently after he voluntarily participated in a three-day interview with investigators. The individual is not facing any charges at present.
In July, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) pressed charges against four Quebec individuals, all with military backgrounds, for allegedly scheming an ideologically driven violent agenda aimed at seizing land in the Quebec City region by force. Alongside weapon-related charges, Marc-Aurèle Chabot, Simon Angers-Audet, and Raphaël Lagacé were accused of facilitating a terrorist activity and identified as members of Hide & Stalk.
According to documents unveiled on Friday, detectives met with the informant, who was formerly linked to the group. In his interaction with law enforcement, he disclosed that after leaving the Canadian Armed Forces in 2021, he sought out a military community and eventually connected with Chabot on Instagram. Subsequently, he engaged in outdoor activities, camping trips, and became involved with Hide & Stalk.
The informant claimed that each member in the group had assigned roles determined by Chabot. Allegedly, Chabot requested the informant, an engineer with combat skills, to provide expertise on explosive techniques, but the informant declined. Instead, he took charge of radio communications with Lagacé. The informant further alleged that during training sessions, there were disparaging remarks targeting Jewish individuals and that Chabot expressed discriminatory views on gender equality and women.
Chabot purportedly warned of an imminent major economic crisis and believed in an impending global catastrophe involving a foreign nation and a zombie invasion. Consequently, he devised a plan for the group to seek refuge in Zec Batiscan-Neilson, a controlled wilderness area near Quebec City, with the intention of forcefully occupying and controlling the territory.
The informant mentioned that he witnessed the use of military equipment, including smoke grenades, during training sessions with the group. Although he distanced himself from the group in May 2023, Chabot allegedly tried to persuade him to return in September of the same year. The informant resisted and did not comply with Chabot’s recruitment efforts.
Communication within Hide & Stalk reportedly occurred through platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, Signal, and Telegram, as per the informant. The former member also provided law enforcement with a USB key containing photos and videos, some featuring the three accused individuals. It should be noted that the allegations against the accused have not yet been validated in court.
Angers-Audet, Lagacé, and Chabot remain in custody as they await trial. Another individual, Matthew Forbes, faces various charges, including possession of firearms, prohibited devices, and explosives. Forbes has been granted bail under strict conditions, including wearing a GPS tracking bracelet.