"Allahu akbar!" (almost?) in Toronto

Every now and then Walt takes a quasi-sadistic delight in sharing a story about someone who kills himself/herself/zeself, or comes close, through sheer stupidity. Click on the "Darwin Awards" label and you'll find some cautionary tales. Today, Agent 3 sent in a report which caused a rheumy chuckle but didn't seem worthy of an award, since the idiot merely wounded himself. On reflection, though, there is a deeper import...

Toronto resident Abdihakim Saeed, aged 20, appeared in a local court this morning to be further dealt with according to the law on charges including possessing a loaded firearm knowing its serial number has been defaced, careless use of a firearm, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, and failing to remain at the scene of an accident. Here is the firearm, an A&B Arms Aero Survival sawed-off rifle.

According to Inspector Knacker of the Toronto constabulary, Mr Saeed is one and the same as the man who entered a Scarborough restaurant around 1600 on Labour Day, supposedly to place a take-out order. While inside the restaurant, the man accidentally shot himself with the gun, which he had hidden in his pants. He then left the area in a vehicle and discarded the gun, which was recovered in a wooded area near Highland Creek. While fleeing the scene, the man was allegedly involved in a fail-to-remain collision. He then abandoned the vehicle and ran into a nearby house, where he was arrested.

Not worthy of a Darwin Award, but funny, no? Errr, not really. Let us ask ourselves why someone would be carrying -- in his pants, mind you -- a weapon of a type associated with terrorism, as he went into a restaurant on a busy holiday afternoon? Did he really mean only to order some takeout food? [Like what? A shawarma? Ed.] And what about Mr Saeed's religion and ethnicity? Would we be wrong to think he may be an Arab, and a follower of the Prophet? And how about his status in Canada? Does the word "refugee" spring to mind?

Further questions spring to mind but, mindful of M-103, Walt will let you, dear reader, figure them out. Notice that I didn't mention the phrase "Allahu akbar!"? Neither did the Toronto police.