Canada has arrested two people who were allegedly planning to carry out a pressure cooker bombing near a government building during a national holiday in the country.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Assistant Commissioner James Malizia said John Stuart Nuttall and Amanda Korody, of British Columbia, were arrested on Monday and charged with conducting terrorism-related activities.
Malizia added that the charges included taking steps to build and subsequently place explosive devices at a pre-determined public location in Victoria, British Columbia, for causing death or serious bodily injuries on Canada Day.
According to ABC News, he added that the two were inspired by al-Qaeda ideology, but were not directly linked to any overseas group.
The RCMP released photographs showing that among the evidence are three pressure cookers, similar to the pressure cooker devices used during the Boston Marathon bombing in April, which killed three and injured more than 260 others.
In that case, investigators said there was evidence the alleged perpetrators had been inspired by al Qaeda.
An RCMP official said, however, that the alleged plot was not inspired by the Boston Marathon attack.