Three men, including one from Harrison Hot Springs, are charged in a multi-year investigation into the B.C. prison break of convicted murderer Rabih Alkhalil.
An RCMP spokesperson said she was unable to confirm media reports that Alkhalil was arrested recently in Qatar.
"We cannot confirm that Rabih Alkhalil has been arrested," said Sgt. Tammy Lobb, the Pacific Region RCMP's media relations officer, at a news conference on Monday, Sept. 8, at the B.C. RCMP's 'E' Division headquarters in Surrey.
Lobb added that she understands there is "a high level of public and media interest in this case," but that she "cannot confirm at this time that he has been arrested again."
Multiple media outlets are reporting Alkhalil was arrested in Qatar.
Harrison Hot Springs man, 46-year-old Ryan Van Gool, and two Ottawa men, 48-year-old Edward Ayoub and 49-year-old John Potvin are charged in connection with Alkhalil's escape from a Port Coquitlam prison in July 2022. All three are charged with conspiracy to commit prison breach and prison breach.
Van Gool was arrested on Friday (Sept. 5), and Ayoub is in custody on another matter in another province. Potvin is currently at large and wanted on a Canada-wide warrant.
Investigation leads to unconnected murder conspiracy plot
Alkhalil escaped from the North Fraser Pretrial Centre in Coquitlam on July 21, 2022, aided by two men posing as contractors. He is still listed as one of Canada's 25 most wanted.
Lobb said that in March 2024, while investigating the prison break, officers uncovered information about other alleged crimes that led to separate charges against Van Gool and charges against two Surrey men, 28-year-old Bryce Telford and 61-year-old Scott Telford.
In that case, the three men were alleged to have been involved in a conspiracy to murder someone in Kamloops. That plot is unconnected to the prison break, Lobb said.
Van Gool, Bryce Telford and Scott Telford are each charged with conspiracy to commit murder, possession of a loaded restricted firearm and possession of loaded prohibited firearms.
The three were arrested on Friday (Sept. 5) and remain in custody. Their next court appearance is set for Sept. 10 at the Vancouver Law Courts.
Van Gool was also charged with discharging a firearm with intent and possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm in connection with another unrelated incident in Maple Ridge in January 2024.
Next steps
Lobb said that all seventeen charges against the five men are by direct indictment, meaning they will go straight to trial without a preliminary inquiry.
She added people should still be on the lookout for Alkhalil, nothing that he "belongs to an organization that is known for its transnational reach."
"It could be in Canada, it could anywhere else in part of the world."
Alkhalil, 35, escaped the North Fraser Pre-Trial Centre in Port Coquitlam while awaiting trial for the 2012 murder of 36-year-old Sandip Duhre.
In his absence, Alkhalil has since been convicted for Duhre’s murder, adding to a previous murder sentence originating from Toronto and a drug trafficking conviction originating from Quebec.
