Man arrested in museum bomb hoax
Nov 29, 2007 10:20 PM
Henry Stancu
Josh Wingrove
staff reporters
Police have arrested a man in connection with a bomb hoax at the Royal Ontario Museum that forced the cancellation of a black-tie AIDS fundraising party last night.
The accused turned himself in to 52 Division around 8 p.m. today in the company of his lawyer, police said.
The man will remain in custody overnight and will appear in a downtown court for a bail hearing tomorrow morning.
A suspicious package was found in the museum's glass-covered lobby at around 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, said Toronto police Sgt. Ralph Pike.
Bomb squad officers closed down streets around the museum.
Police closed Bloor St. W. between St. George St. and Avenue Rd., while Queen's Park was closed between Bloor and Queen's Park Circle, at Hoskins Ave, from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
The upper floors of the museum were evacuated.
The bomb squad x-rayed and examined the package at the scene, and found it was made to look like three pipe bombs wrapped together with wiring. It didn't contain an explosive device.
A YouTube video, entitled "The Fake Bombing at the ROM, Toronto, 28.11.07," was posted a few hours later, and a link was sent to media in Toronto.
The video showed two hooded people apparently walking into the ROM, and leaving a package in the lobby.
Police said the video was also a prank, and are reviewing the posting and security footage.
The hoax forced the cancellation of portions of "Bloor Street Entertains," an event benefiting the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research, that was supposed to be attended by about 2,500 people.
The event has run since 1997 and is a series of dinners at 20 trendy Bloor St. W. and Yorkville-area restaurants. Guests paid $600 a plate. It's the charitable organization's largest source of revenue.
During the investigation, numerous people showed up for the fundraiser's gala conclusion at the museum. All were turned away by police, who said the event was cancelled.
This year's event was to be co-chaired by Belinda Stronach. The night was to have wrapped up with a party in the ROM, but was cancelled due to the closure of the upper floors of the museum.
Thorarinn Ingi Jonsson, 24, of Toronto faces one count of common nuisance and mischief interference with property.
- With files from Sarah Boesveld