An Alberta teen already in custody for fear they would harm others has now been accused of participating in terrorism, promoting hatred and possessing child sexual abuse materials, amongst other charges.
The 15-year-old from the Edmonton area had been incarcerated at the Edmonton Youth Offender Centre since the spring when RCMP laid the charges earlier this month.
Since May, the teen has been under a terrorism peace bond pursuant to section 810.011 of the Criminal Code — fear of terrorism offence — in relation to what RCMP said was “escalatory behaviour in a February 2025 incident.”
A peace bond allows investigators to monitor people who appear likely to commit a crime when there’s no evidence of an actual offence.
Mounties alleged in May that the teen was planning to commit offences related to The Com/764 network, an online gaming platform that allows users to create their own virtual universe and has developed a large fan following.
The group operates in online spaces such as social media platforms, including livestreaming service Twitch, messaging apps like Discord and Telegram, online games such as Roblox and Minecraft, and in games hosted on Steam.
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Experts say the predators first gain the youth’s trust, then exploit them.
The Com conduct illicit activities that glorify serious violence, cruelty, and gore, RCMP say in a warning posted to its website. Elements of the Com network are known to have extreme ideological views and are victimizing children through desensitizing and radicalizing them to violence.
They deliberately target vulnerable kids and teens between the ages of eight and 17 years old, in particular those who struggle with mental health issues such as depression.
Once recruited and radicalized or blackmailed, the kids are encouraged to engage in explicit acts or sexually exploit others; harm or kill family pets or other animals; perform self-harm; attempt or complete suicide; or conduct other acts of serious violence.
Police in Alberta warn of dangers to children on online gaming platforms
After the youth was initially arrested back in May, police began digging deeper into the teen’s alleged activities, which included a forensic examination of their electronics.
That led to more charges being laid against the teen on Oct. 2, 2025, by the RCMP Federal Policing Northwest Region’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team in Alberta.
The youth was arrested and charged with:
- Participation in activity of a terrorist group
- Facilitating terrorist activity
- Willful promotion of hatred
- Uttering threats
- Possession of child pornography
- Failure to comply with sentence or disposition contrary to section 137 of the Youth Criminal Justice Act
- Failure to comply with sentence or disposition contrary to section 145(5)(a) of the Criminal Code
The youth will remain in custody at the juvenile detention centre, located beside the Edmonton Remand in the city’s northwest, and is scheduled to appear at the Alberta Court of Justice on Oct. 24.
The youth cannot be identified under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
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