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Toronto Police are working with the RCMP, CSIS and the Ontario Provincial Police to investigate the attack. Saunders would not rule out future terrorism-linked charges but he said investigators had yet to identify any link to an outside organization or individual.

“I want to be very, very, very careful, when it comes to the national security piece, that we don’t go through that Islamophobia nonsense,” Saunders added. “I don’t want this (to be) categorizing of a large group of people. That would be very unfair and very inaccurate.”

Ali had no prior history with police, according to both his lawyer, David Burke, and Saunders.

Speaking outside the courthouse Tuesday, Burke described Ali as very scared and unhappy.

“This is a very serious incident, nobody can deny that,” he said. “But I think at the end of the day, it remains to be seen exactly what kind of person we’re dealing with.”

Burke wouldn’t say much about his client. He refused to say if he was employed or studying. He did say Ali “seems like an intelligent enough young man.” He has yet to ask the court for a mental health assessment.

“I probably know as much about the actual facts surrounding the case as you people do,” Burke said.

Federal Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said Tuesday the attack appears to have been an isolated incident.

The Canadian Forces had not received any warnings or “observed any unusual activity,” before the attack, Maj. Richard Silva, a military spokesman, said at a news conference outside the centre Tuesday morning. He said it’s “business as usual” at the recruitment centre “although we do remain vigilant.”

“We are professionals and we always have to take care of our own people,” he said.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his support for the injured military personnel and wished them each a speedy recovery.

“Canadians — and the Canadian Forces — will not be intimidated by terror and hate,” he wrote.