Canada’s Conservative Party leader, Pierre Poilievre, has urged the federal government to designate the Iran-backed militant group Kata’ib Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. This call follows allegations that a member of the group was involved in attacks on Canadian soil, including an assault on a Toronto synagogue and a March shooting at the U.S. consulate in the city.

In a letter addressed to Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree, Poilievre points to findings by American authorities linking Kata’ib Hezbollah and its purported commander, Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, to a series of planned attacks across North America and Europe. Al-Saadi, an Iraqi national, appeared before a federal court in Manhattan in May, facing charges related to plotting at least 18 terror attacks in retaliation for the conflict between the United States, Israel, and Iran. Among these alleged plots, two were said to have targeted locations in Canada.

Al-Saadi is also accused of conspiring to provide material support to Kata’ib Hezbollah and Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), both of which are designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the U.S. government.

Poilievre emphasizes that designating Kata’ib Hezbollah as a terrorist entity would enhance Canada’s ability to combat terrorism. The listing would criminalize any dealings with the group’s property or finances, empower authorities to seize assets, and facilitate efforts to prevent members from entering or staying in Canada. Poilievre asserts that such measures are necessary to protect Canadians and prevent further attacks.

“Canada should not wait for another synagogue to be shot or another foreign consulate to be attacked before shutting down the terrorist organization allegedly directing these attacks,” he wrote.

The Centre for Israeli and Jewish Affairs welcomed Poilievre’s request, noting that it had previously asked the government to take similar action in May. The organization described the threats as clear and called for a strong response to politically motivated violence and terrorism.

The federal government has not yet publicly responded to Poilievre’s letter or indicated whether it plans to move forward with designating Kata’ib Hezbollah as a terrorist entity.