
A suspected terrorist is accused of killing six Muslim men as they prayed at a Quebec mosque was reportedly a 'Trump supporter who liked Le Pen and mocked Syrian refugees online'.

Alexandre Bissonnette is accused of slaughtering five Muslim men and injuring five others by opening fire on them during evening prayers at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center on Sunday.

The 27-year-old 'loner' student was described by classmates as a pro-Trump loner who did not fit in well at Laval University where is studying anthropology and political sciences. But neighbors of the family home in the affluent Quebec suburb of Cap Rouge were stunned to learn Bissonnette, described as a 'typical boy-next-door', was being accused of the shooting.

The suspected terrorist was arrested on Sunday night after phoning police himself from his Mitsubishi where investigators allegedly found two rifles and an AK-47.

Bissonnette was charged with six counts of murder, five of attempted murder and is likely to have more charges brought against him, police said on Monday. He made a brief court appearance, wearing a white prisoner jump suit, shackled hands and feet, where he did not enter a plea.

Originally police believed two gunmen had carried out the attack and took Moroccan-Canadian Mohamed el Khadir into custody. He is now being treated as a witness and no one is else is wanted in connection with the attack.

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Alexandre Bissonnette was seen arriving at a Quebec City courthouse on Monday chared with six counts of first degree murder and five of attempted murder after allegedly opening fire on a mosque the night before

(L-R) Azzedine Soufiane and Khaled Belkacemi were killed as they attended evening prayers at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center on Sunday night

(L-R) Boubaker Thabti and Abdelkrim Hassen, a married father-of-three, also died in the horrific shooting

The mosque's concierge Ibrahima Barry (left), 39, and his cousin Mamadou Tanou Barry, 42, (right) both of Guinea, were also killed

'The inquiry is ongoing to determine the motives,' said Royal Canadian Mounted Police Superintendent Martin Plante.

Six men aged between 39 and 60 were killed at the mosque as they observed evening prayers at the mosque which said security had become a 'major' concern.

Another five are in intensive care at Quebec City's Hôpital de l'Enfant-Jésus after the shooting on Sunday night.

Twelve others had less serious injuries and another 39 escaped from the mosque unharmed.

Among the victims is father-of-two Boubaker Thabti, of Tunisian descent, halal butcher and father-of-three Azzedine Soufiane, who worked next door to fellow victim Khaled Belkacemi, an Algerian-Canadian professor. The professor, who was also married with children, worked at the same university where Bissonnette is enrolled.

The mosque's concierge Ibrahima Barry, 39, and his cousin Mamadou Tanou Barry, 42, both of Guinea, were also killed, according to Associated Press.

Abdelkrim Hassen, a married father-of-three who worked in IT for the government was also gunned down and killed, according to his friend Ali Hamadi who had also been at the mosque but left shortly before the shooting.

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that a father-of-four is among those injured in the shooting rampage.

Taxi driver Saïd El-Amari, 38, is said to be in a critical condition at the Enfant-Jésus hospital.

His brother-in-law, Hassan Dardari, told Le Journal de Quebec: 'There are other operations to come. He is in a critical state.'

At a press conference on Monday afternoon, officials from the Gendarmerie royale du Canada confirmed the suspect had been charged with six counts of murder.

Searches are ongoing at the suspect's home and at the mosque, they said. It's likely he will have more charges, specifically under the terrorism act, brought against him.

Bissonnette fled the scene in his Mitsubishi but called 911 himself later to turn himself in, local media reported. His car was spotted on the side of the road with a police vehicle behind it on Sunday night

Bissonnette is a student at Laval University. A friend of Bissonnette's said he was pro-Trump and conservative but did not think he was capable of violence

The 27-year-old was dressed in a white prison jumpsuit and sneakers and appeared to be handcuffed as he made his way inside the courthouse

Alexandre Bissonnette's house in Quebec City, Canada, (pictured) was searched by police after the shooting

Bissonnette, 27, and el Khadir were arrested on Sunday night after six men were shot dead at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center during evening prayers.

El Khadir was picked up by police at the mosque but Bissonnette fled in his Mitsubishi and was arrested in nearby Ile d'Orleans around 20 minutes later after calling 911, Le Soleil reports. Police found two rifles and an AK-47 in the car. Court clerk Isabelle Ferland earlier identified the pair as the two men arrested in connection with the shooting.

Police are not seeking anyone else in connection with the attack which was is being treated as an act of terror.

A source later told Reuters police were looking at Bissonnette as a 'lone wolf'.

The political sciences and anthropology student, who is from the affluent Quebec City suburb Cap-Rouge, will appear in court sometime on Monday or Tuesday.

Bissonnette is suspected of carrying out the Quebec City mosque massacre alone

Students described him to DailyMail.com as a pro-Trump loner but a timid man who didn't seem capable of committing an act of terror.

'Based on the conversations that I had with him during the American presidential campaign, it's true he is pro-Trump,' the student, who asked to remain anonymous, said.

He added that he Bissonnette had 'never demonstrated' a violent side but that he didn't 'fit in' among peers.

'Yes, he was conservative in the political sense but despite the profound differences between us, he never showed or suggested that political violence or terrorism was something he was capable of.

'He didn't fit in well at university.'

One Facebook group dedicated to welcoming refugees in the Quebec City area claimed that Bissonnette was well known in the area for his 'pro-Le Pen and anti-feminist positions at Laval University and on social networks,' wrote the Bienvenue aux réfugié.es - Ville de Québec Facebook group.

He is said to have acted like a 'troll' and would attack women's rights.

A Facebook page reportedly belonging to Bissonnette, which has since been taken down, revealed support for far right ideologies, including that of Marine Le Pen, the leader of France's National Front.

For Le Pen and her supporters, 'massive migration,' notably from Muslim North Africa, is supplanting French civilization and is at the root of many France's modern woes. 'On est chez nous' ('We're in our land') is a mantra at the rallies of her party, the National Front. Her views have won the endorsement from white supremacists.

Other 'likes' included Israeli Defense Forces, Donald Trump, and outspoken critics of Islam Richard Dawkins and Christopher Hitchens.

Yet neighbors paint a very different picture of the suspect, describing him as the 'perfect boy-next-door', who loved his family, sports and would always remember to say hello.

Alain Dufour, a financier who retired last week, and has lived next door to Bissonnette's family home since the alleged shooter was a child, said: ' Alexandre is a very nice, friendly young man. He and his brother have been brought up very closely and carefully by his parents. They are all very close.

'Alexandre has never given anybody any trouble in this area and is the perfect boy next door.

'He is friendly and always says hello. I didn't know that their son had a gun and never imagined he could kill innocent people like that.

'My wife Huguette and I are very upset about those people who were killed. Very sad. '

Crime scene: Two people were initially arrested for the attack at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center on Sunday night. Police continued working at the mosque late into the night (above)

A police officer stood guard at the men's entrance to the mosque, one of the largest in Quebec, late on Sunday night as forensic investigations continued

Quebec City Police continued to work at the scene late into the night on Sunday as investigators questioned Bissonnette and Mohamed el Khadir

His wife added: Alexandre has lived here all his life. He is very sweet. I remember him as a boy when he had a paddle car and would ride it outside his house.

'I can't believe he could have done something like that. I am in shock.'

Police are speaking to Bissonnette's parents, his father Raymond - a retired government employee who he addressed as 'Papa' - and his mother Manon, but insisted they were not suspects in the case.

A police officer at the Bissonnette house told DailyMail.com: ' We are just beginning the investigation and there a lot of questions. But in my experience of these cases the parents do not know anything before.

'And they are not suspects at all here. They are victims themselves.'

Cadets Canada also revealed that Bissonnette was a member between 2002 and 2004, as they extended their 'deepest condolences to all those affected by this terrible tragedy.'

The grandson of a decorated World War II veteran, Bissonnette had posted a photo of himself on his Facebook page as a boy dressed as an army cadet, a military leadership program for Canadian youths.

Fellow students said Bissonnette didn't 'fit in well' at the university where he is studying political sciences and anthropology

Laval University's rector said he would would assist authorities in any way he could but has not yet confirmed Bissonnette's enrollment. He was not known to police before Sunday night's atrocity.

Police searched Bissonnette's home in Cap Rouge overnight. They were seen searching el Khadir's apartment which is less than a kilometer from the mosque on Monday, TVA reports.

Witnesses told how the killer burst into the mosque dressed in black waterproof jacket at around 8pm.

The mosque's president Mohamed Yangui was left in total shock by the killings. 'Why is this happening here? This is barbaric,' he said.

Worshiper Ali Hamadi said he left the mosque a few minutes before the shooting but that his friend, married father-of-three Abdelkrim Hassen, died in the attack.

Mosque officials spoke of the tragedy on Monday at a press conference where they admitted being scared of such attacks in the past.

'It's a very, very big tragedy for us. We have a sadness we cannot express,' Vice President Mohamed Labidi said as he choked back tears.

The shooting came as protests erupted across the US in response to President Donald Trump's immigration ban against seven Muslim-majority countries which Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned earlier on Sunday.

Prime Minister Trudeau gave an emotional speech at Ottawa's House of Commons on Monday, telling peers: 'Make no mistake, this was a terrorist attack.'

The parliament observed a minute's silence to honor the victims. The prime minister also issued a message of support to the country's Muslim community.

'Make no mistake, this was a terrorist attack': Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau gave an emotional speech in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill on Monday

Two thousand police officers were deployed across the city on Sunday as a precaution after the deadly shootings. Police continued to patrol the streets surrounding the mosque on Monday

Police continued to search the perimeter around the mosque on Monday as the suspect awaited his first court appearance

A police officer searches beneath a car outside the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center in the aftermath of the shooting

A large police presence remained at the mosque on Sunday as investigators continued to work inside and around the city

Two men were arrested on Sunday but police are yet to reveal a possible motive. Officers remained at the mosque on Monday

Mourners began laying flowers at the scene of the attack on Monday as authorities worked to piece together how it unfolded

As investigators continued to work at the mosque on Monday (above) police were led to a home in a residential street 10 minutes away by one of the suspects

'MAKE NO MISTAKE, THIS WAS A TERRORIST ATTACK' Prime Minister Justin Trudeau leads a minute's silence in the Ottawa House of Commons on Monday after the attack Prime Minister Justin Trudeau held a minute's silence for those killed in the attack at the House of Commons on Monday after an emotional speech. 'Make no mistake, this was a terrorist attack,' he said, before issuing a heartfelt message to the country's Muslim community. 'Know that we value you. You enrich our shared country in immeasurable ways. It is your home. 'Last night's horrible crime against the Muslim community was an act of terror committed against Canada and against all Canadians. 'We will grieve with you. We will defend you. We will love you. And we will stand with you,' he said. On Sunday, Prime Minister Trudeau released a statement immediately after the attack where he deemed it an act of terror on Muslims. 'It was with tremendous shock, sadness and anger that I heard of this evening's tragic and fatal shooting at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec located in the Ste-Foy neighbourhood of the city of Québec. 'We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a centre of worship and refuge. 'On behalf of all Canadians, Sophie and I offer our deepest condolences to the family and friends of all those who have died, and we wish a speedy recovery to those who have been injured. 'While authorities are still investigating and details continue to be confirmed, it is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence. Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear. 'Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country. Canadian law enforcement agencies will protect the rights of all Canadians, and will make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators of this act and all acts of intolerance. 'Tonight, we grieve with the people of Ste-Foy and all Canadians.' Advertisement

'Know that we value you. You enrich our shared country in immeasurable ways. It is your home.

'Last night's horrible crime against the Muslim community was an act of terror committed against Canada and against all Canadians.

'We will grieve with you. We will defend you. We will love you. And we will stand with you,' he said.

President Trump called Prime Minister Trudeau to offer his condolences on Monday afternoon.

'This is another senseless act of violence that cannot be tolerated. We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms.

'It's a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant, and why the president is taking steps to be proactive instead of reactive when it comes to our nation's safety and security.

'We are of course praying for those injured in the attack, and are keeping in close contact with officials in Quebec and Canada,' White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said.

Quebec Police have given no suggested motive for the killings but confirmed it was being treated as an act of terror. They are also looking in to whether a pig's head left outside the mosque last year is connected to the incident.

People attend a vigil in Montreal on Monday, for the victims of Sunday's shooting at a Quebec City mosque

Vigils and memorials were held all over Canada after the terrorist attack on Sunday (pictured people at a vigil at the Grand Parade in Halifax, Nova Scotia)

People gather around the Centennial Flame on Parliament Hill during a vigil following a deadly shooting at a Quebec City mosque, in Ottawa, Ontario

A woman places flowers for victims of a shooting Sunday at a mosque in Quebec City at Dalhousie University in Halifax on Monday

In Montreal., people held up signs which read 'Unite against hate!' and 'Stop the criminalization of Islam!'

'We're still in the early stages of the investigation, we're still trying to determine all the facts associated with the incident and not interfere with the progress of the investigation so we're not going to discuss the specifics at this time,' Martin Plante of the Gendarmerie royale du Canada said at a press conference on Monday morning.

Prime Minister Trudeau earlier described the mass killing as a 'terrorist attack on Muslims'.

'We condemn this terrorist attack on Muslims in a center of worship and refuge. While authorities are still investigating and details continue to be confirmed, it is heart-wrenching to see such senseless violence.

'Diversity is our strength, and religious tolerance is a value that we, as Canadians, hold dear.

'Muslim-Canadians are an important part of our national fabric, and these senseless acts have no place in our communities, cities and country.

'Canadian law enforcement agencies will protect the rights of all Canadians, and will make every effort to apprehend the perpetrators of this act and all acts of intolerance.

'Tonight, we grieve with the people of Ste-Foy and all Canadians.'

The Canadian prime minister attended a vigil along with thousands of people bundled in winter clothes in front of Notre-Dame-de-Foy Church, just around the corner from the mosque that was attacked. It was one of many vigils in Canada, and the Eiffel Tower in Paris was darkened in respect to the victims as was the CN Tower in Toronto.

Vigils took place in cities across Canada today as people paid tribute to the six men who last their lives in the shooting.

Belkacemi, 60, was a professor in the department of soil sciences and food engineering at Laval University, while his wife was also a professor at the university. He previously studied at the Polytechnic School of Algiers in Algeria before finishing his PhD at the University of Sherbrooke.

His department's dean, Jean-Claude Dufour, said: 'His remarkable work will survive his sudden departure, which sadden us all deeply.'

Survivors: Among those pictured leaving the mosque after the attack on Sunday evening were young boys

People gathered on mounds of snow outside the mosque as police taped off the scene on Sunday night

Armed police stayed at the scene overnight to patrol it as others worked inside the mosque. Security at mosques across the US was heightened in response to the slayings

'I want to express on behalf of the entire university community my profound sadness in announcing the death of Khaled Belkacemi, who was a victim of the attack at the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center,' added rector Denis Briere said.

'I echo the comments of the head of the FSAA in honoring the kind and professional skills of our colleague. He was a passionate and engaged in the faculty's work. His remarkable body of work will outlive his unexpected death which has saddened us profoundly.'

Soufiane, 57, owned the Epicerie-Boucherie Assalam butcher shop, was described as a 'very kind man' by one of his regulars.

'Last visit when I was there, he was playing with his daughter, his daughter was laughing,' Salah Abdullah told CTV News. 'When I heard that he has passed away, (that moment) really came to my mind.'

The father-of-three was a leading member of the Muslim community in Quebec City and one of the first to move there and open a business - the store where most local Muslims would shop at every week.

Ali Ouldache said Soufiane was the first Muslim he met after arriving from France in 2007.

'It (his store) was really my refuge and we became friends after that,' Ouldache said. 'He was a father to everyone, a brother to everyone - very tolerant, very respectful.'

'It's a tragedy the way he died.'

Thabti, a pharmacist who moved to the area from Tunis, Tunisia in October 2011, was a family man who was not only dedicated to his wife and children, but also helping Syrian refugees settle into a new life in Canada, according to a friend.

His son Mohamed described him as a 'very, very good guy' who 'helped everybody.' He also had a three-year-old daughter.

Mamadou and Ibrahim Barry, were cousins from the same tiny village in Guinea. The Guinea government said in a statement: 'In this painful circumstance, the government of Guinea expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to the Canadian government, the families of the disappeared, and the entire nation,' said a statement on the government's website.

The mosque's vice president Mohamed Labidi choked back tears as he admitted security had been a 'major' concern for staff

Archbishop of Quebec Cardinal Gerald LaCroix wept as he was embraced by Pope Francis on Monday at the Santa Marta Residence at the Vatican

The flag at Peace Tower in Ottawa was lowered to half-mast on Monday in memory of the victims

Quebec Prime Minister Philippe Couillard (right) issued a message to Muslim citizens on Monday in the wake of the attack, telling them at a press conference: 'We are with you, this is your home, we are all Quebecers'

The mosque was attacked at around 8pm Sunday evening while around 50 people prayed inside

'Guinean representatives in Canada are actively engaged in meeting the families of our compatriots and expressing the support of the nation as a whole.'

Father-of-two Mamadou Barry was a technician at Lucas Meyer Cosmetics, and lived in the same apartment building in Sainte-Foy as Ibrahima, a father-of-four, who worked at Quebec's health insurance board.

Ibrahima, whose wife is believed to be in poor health, helped support his family both home and abroad.

The pair were said to be very close, more like brothers than cousins, according to their friend Moussa Sangare.

'They were so kind. They worked and practiced their faith,' he said, adding that the community can't make sense of their deaths,' he told CP24. 'They were people who were well integrated in Quebec. They had good work, they took care of their kids and their family.'

Sangare said he spent Saturday morning with the Barrys in the same mosque where the shooting occurred where they read the Qur'an with their children. The cousins leave behind their children.

Hassen, which has also been spelled as Hassane, was born in Algeria, studied computer engineering, and had worked in Paris and Montreal before moving to Quebec City, according to MontralMuslims.

'He was a very peaceful, sensitive man. If he saw two people in a fistfight, he'd walk away,' his co-worker, Abderrezak Redouane said.

Reuters is also reporting that Ahmed Youness, a 21-year-old student, was killed in the shooting although this report has not been verified.

NYPD INCREASES PATROLS AROUND PLACES OF WORSHIP The New York Police Department is stepping up patrols at mosques and other places of worship in the city after six people were shot dead in a mosque in Quebec City, Canada. 'NYPD is providing additional protection for mosques in the city. All New Yorkers should be vigilant. If you see something, say something,' New York City Mayor Bill Blasio said on Twitter. 'Our prayers are with the people of Quebec City as they deal with a terrible attack on a mosque. We must stand together,' Blasio said in another tweet. Earlier de Blasio sent a message directly to Muslims living in the city: 'To my fellow New Yorkers who are Muslim: New York City will protect you. The NYPD will protect you. We will fight all hatred and bias.' The department says it's monitoring the situation in Quebec City. Advertisement

Mohamed Oudghiri normally attends prayers but missed Sunday's prayers. He told journalists: 'We are not safe here'

A man holds a sign that reads 'la paix pas la guerre' or 'peace, not war' near a Quebec city mosque after the deadly shooting

NYPD INCREASES PATROLS AROUND PLACES OF WORSHIP The New York Police Department is stepping up patrols at mosques and other places of worship in the city after six people were shot dead in a mosque in Quebec City, Canada. 'NYPD is providing additional protection for mosques in the city. All New Yorkers should be vigilant. If you see something, say something,' New York City Mayor Bill Blasio said on Twitter. 'Our prayers are with the people of Quebec City as they deal with a terrible attack on a mosque. We must stand together,' Blasio said in another tweet. Earlier de Blasio sent a message directly to Muslims living in the city: 'To my fellow New Yorkers who are Muslim: New York City will protect you. The NYPD will protect you. We will fight all hatred and bias.' The department says it's monitoring the situation in Quebec City. Advertisement

Police stood guard at the men's entrance to the mosque on Monday after putting up a perimeter the night before and there has been an increase in security at places of worship around the country.

Other cities are upping security in light of recent attacks at Muslim places of worship. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio said on Twitter: 'The awful attack in Quebec is not an outlier.

'Today, a mosque in Texas was burned to the ground. We must stop those who seek to divide us.'NYPD is providing additional protection for mosques in the city. All New Yorkers should be vigilant. If you see something, say something.'

The Islamic Center of Victoria was ablaze at around 2am on Saturday. Local fire fighters are yet to reveal what started the fire.

Quebec premier Philippe Couillard said there will be solidarity rallies across the region on Monday and says the province's people will all be together to express horror

French President Francois Hollande on Monday condemned 'in the strongest possible terms' what he called an 'odious attack'.

A pig's head was left outside the Quebec City Islamic Cultural Center in June. Police are investigating whether it is connected to the shooting

'It's the spirit of peace and openness of the people of Quebec that the terrorists wanted to hit,' added Hollande.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman condemned the 'despicable'. Steffen Seibert said the German leader was shocked by the shooting.

Seibert said: 'If the killers intended to set people of different faiths against each other or to divide them, they must not and will not succeed in that.

'We stand in mourning beside the Muslim community in Quebec.'

A pig's head was left at the mosque last year during the holy month of Ramadan in another heinous attack.

Like France, Quebec has struggled at times to reconcile its secular identity with a rising Muslim population, many of them North African emigrants.

Incidents of Islamophobia have increased in Quebec in recent years. In 2013, police investigated after a mosque in the Saguenay region of Quebec was splattered with what was believed to be pig blood.

In the neighboring province of Ontario, a mosque was set on fire in 2015, a day after an attack by gunmen and suicide bombers in Paris.

Yesterday, a Texas mosque was ravaged by a fire just hours after President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting migration from seven predominantly Muslim countries.

A clerk at a convenience store spotted smoke and flames billowing from the Islamic Center of Victoria at around 2am on Saturday.

The fire department spent more than four hours battling the blaze.

A GoFundMe account has already raised $100,000 Canadian dollars for the victims of the tragedy.