'Extreme' posts lead to arrest of Alberta man considered a threat to public, police

Alberta RCMP's national security team has arrested a Parkland County man they believed posed a threat to the public, police and critical infrastructure based on "extreme" online posts.

Kelvin Gregory Maure, 26, was arrested on Feb. 13 and faces 34 charges related to prohibited weapons and explosive substances and impersonating a peace officer.

Police seized guns and ammunition at several properties west of Edmonton after the arrest, RCMP said in a news release Thursday.

"Maure was the subject of a larger ongoing investigation into a number of associated individuals since September 2020," the release said.

In January, "Maure displayed escalating behaviour leading investigators to believe he presented a threat to critical infrastructure, police, and the public."

The posts involve anti-government messaging, RCMP said.

Investigators would not give specific information about who or what were the target of those threats. However Insp. Scott Isaac cited oil and gas facilities and energy installations as examples.

According to court documents, Maure is accused of breaking into a facility belonging to Obsidian Energy near Spruce Grove on Feb. 12, 2021, and damaging a propane tank and shed.

"We don't have any confirmation, if you will, on what his true intentions were with his behaviour there, but the night that we did arrest him, it was pretty clear to us that there was a need to intervene and arrest him," Isaac said in an interview. 

"Having said that, the investigation is open to try to determine what exactly his intentions were."

Maure is charged with having the explosive triacetone triperoxide or TATP, in his possession between May 12, 2020, and Feb. 13, 2021.

TATP is a highly volatile explosive compound that can be easily synthesized from readily obtained household cleaners. It has been used in terrorist attacks in Europe.

Police also seized a squib, hobby fuses, percussion caps and other items capable of detonating an explosive.   

Meanwhile, Isaac said that the firearms seized by RCMP were set up to be fully automatic and included high-capacity magazines, Isaac said.

"The majority of the firearms that we seized were prohibited firearms," Isaac said. "So, they're not legally available in Canada and that's something that the investigation is open to determine where exactly he got these firearms from."

Maure is also charged with being in a vehicle, a GMC truck, on Feb. 13 while knowingly transporting prohibited or restricted weapons including a loaded Baikal Viking 9 mm pistol and a loaded AK-74 assault rifle with over-capacity magazines, as well as silencers for both. 

An article of clothing with RCMP badges was also discovered by police.

"He was not wearing that at the time of his arrest, but that was uncovered in the search of his property later on," Isaac said. "Having something like that in his possession, it was concerning and we don't know what his intentions behind that were."

Maure is scheduled to appear in Stony Plain provincial court on May 7.