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Authorities drove him to another building and showed him a chair in an interview room, then asked him to come clean about his alleged terrorism plans overseas.

He said he was going on holiday after converting to Islam a few months ago.

Then the investigators played him the recorded conversations and questioned him until around 4 a.m. They seized his luggage before an early morning police escort to the Elgin Street courthouse on Saturday, where he was formally charged with trying to leave the country to wage terrorism.

His brother Ashton was arrested in Ottawa, also on Friday, and charged with facilitating a terrorist activity, participating in the activity of a terrorist group, and instructing another to carry out an activity for a terrorist group. It’s alleged the two conspired between last August and the day they were arrested.

Suliman Mohamed, 21, is a close friend of Ashton’s, and was arrested Monday and charged with participating in the activity of a terrorist group and conspiring to participate in a terrorist activity.

The Citizen spoke with and photographed Mohamed on the weekend, before his arrest.

The news of the terrorism sweep has rattled Ottawa’s Muslim community. Its leaders have condemned and banned those who are radicalized.

They say the twins were not members of any congregation. Ashton, according to a leader at the mosque on St. Laurent Boulevard South, attended during Ramadan in 2013.

The law offices of Addelman Baum Gilbert have been receiving hate mail for representing the accused.

None of the allegations has been proven in court, and lawyers for the accused are awaiting disclosure from the Crown.

gdimmock@ottawacitizen.com

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