According to Global News one of the Toronto men recently charged in connection with alleged hate- and extremism-motivated crimes targeting women and members of the Jewish community had been denied refugee status more than seven years ago, according to court and immigration records.Federal court documents show that Osman Azizov, an Azerbaijani citizen, entered Canada in 2017 with his parents after crossing the US-Canada border near Lacolle, Quebec, between official ports of entry. The family filed refugee claims shortly after arriving.The Immigration and Refugee Board rejected the family’s asylum application in 2018, citing credibility concerns. .Their appeal was denied by the Refugee Appeal Division in early 2019, and the Federal Court declined to review the case later that year.There is no publicly available record explaining how Azizov remained in Canada following the unsuccessful refugee claim.Azizov was living in Toronto at the time of his arrest in August 2025. Police later announced that he had been charged in connection with multiple attempted kidnappings that investigators allege were motivated by hate and extremism. The charges were publicly disclosed on Dec. 19..Azizov, 19, has been charged alongside Fahad Sadaat, 19, and Waleed Khan, 26. Together, the three face nearly 80 criminal charges. Khan has also been charged separately with terrorism-related offences alleging support for the Islamic State and conspiracy to commit murder for the benefit of a terrorist organization.Immigration records released through Federal Court proceedings detail the family’s arrival in Canada. According to those records, Azizov left Baku, Azerbaijan, in February 2017 at the age of 11. After flying to New York, the family travelled by taxi to the Canadian border, where they entered on foot and made a refugee claim.The family later settled in Toronto after being processed by authorities in Quebec. During the refugee proceedings, immigration officials raised concerns about inconsistencies in the father’s account of his alleged employment and the documents submitted in support of the claim. The Immigration and Refugee Board ultimately ruled the claim not credible..In May and June 2025, police allege that three masked individuals attempted to abduct women at gunpoint in separate incidents in Toronto and Mississauga. The attacks were disrupted by bystanders. Investigators later linked the incidents and identified the suspects as part of a broader investigation known as Project Neapolitan.Peel Regional Police initially arrested Khan and reported the seizure of multiple prohibited firearms, including an AR-style rifle, ammunition, and over-capacity magazines. Following further investigation, Azizov and Sadaat were arrested approximately ten days later..As evidence emerged suggesting possible links to extremism and national security threats, the RCMP’s national security team launched a parallel investigation. Terrorism charges against Khan were announced in late November.All three accused are scheduled to appear in court again on January 29, 2026. None of the allegations have been tested in court.Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, the Canada Border Services Agency, and the RCMP declined to provide details regarding Azizov’s immigration status. Police services involved in the investigation also declined to comment further, citing the ongoing court proceedings.
