Ottawa — Terrorism charges against Ottawa's Mohammad Momin Khawaja are linked to raids in London that led to the seizure of a half-tonne of a bomb-making chemical and the detention of nine young British citizens of Pakistani heritage, the RCMP said Friday.

[. . . . ] The Mounties refused to describe the alleged role of Mr. Khawaja, a 24-year-old computer programmer, in the plot. But unattributed reports in Britain suggest he was a “fixer” who facilitated the work of others.

The Mounties, who have previously alleged only that Mr. Khawaja hatched an ambiguous plot in London and Ottawa, said they are in the midst of a “complex and sensitive ongoing criminal investigation” that is not yet complete.

The force insisted Friday that it is fighting a real national security threat, not indiscriminately rounding up Muslims. “It's just to send a message out,” said RCMP Corporal Nathalie Deschênes. “This was just to say our position is we're not looking at a community. We're looking at an individual.”

As such fears were being articulated in the 40,000-strong Muslim community in the Canadian capital, the city's mayor and police chief also issued a statement that “the City of Ottawa is a richer community because of our Muslim families, friends, neighbours, and colleagues.”

[. . . . ] “It's the RCMP and CSIS harassing average Muslims,” [Qasim] added.