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Police were already on alert following the deadly attack in Sydney, Australia and the killings of Canadian Forces members in Ottawa and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Que. by lone attackers claiming to be motivated by Islamist extremist beliefs.

The RCMP cautioned members on Jan 10 to “exercise a heightened level of caution and vigilance” after a pro-ISIS video featuring footage of the Oct. 22 attack on Parliament Hill urged killings of Canadian civilians, police and military.

Similar advisories have been circulated in other Western countries, which are anticipating violence both from extremists returning from terrorist havens like Syria and Yemen, and those who have stayed at home but are inspired by the same ideology.

The senior AQAP official mentioned Canada while answering a question about whether those living “under the rule of the disbelievers” should immigrate to Muslim countries or “practice in an effective role in our place here.”

“There is no doubt that immigration is better than living under the rule of the disbelievers, but one should take into consideration the matter of affliction,” Ali al-Ansi said, according to the SITE Intelligence Group. “Meaning, is it more afflicting for an individual to wage individual jihad in a Western country in which he resides than immigrating for jihad to fight on one of the frontlines?

“If he is capable to wage individual jihad in the Western countries that fight Islam, such as America, Britain, France, Canada, and others of the countries that represent the head of disbelief in waging war against Islam, and participate in this Crusader campaign — if he is capable of that then that is better and more harmful.”