QUEBEC CITY -- A French Canadian known for far-right, nationalist views was charged Monday with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder in the shooting rampage at a Quebec City mosque that Canada's prime minister called an act of terrorism against Muslims.
Suspect Alexandre Bissonnette made a brief court appearance and did not enter a plea in the attack that left six people dead during evening prayers Sunday. Wearing a white prisoner jumpsuit, his hands and feet shackled, he stared at the floor and fidgeted but did not speak.
The 27-year-old suspect, who has espoused support for the French far-right party of Marine Le Pen and had liked U.S. President Donald Trump on his Facebook page, was known to those who monitor extremist groups in Quebec, said Francois Deschamps, an official with a refugee advocacy group.
"It's with pain and anger that we learn the identity of terrorist Alexandre Bissonnette, unfortunately known to many activists in Quebec for taking nationalist, pro-Le Pen and anti-feminist positions at Laval University and on social media," Deschamps wrote on the Facebook page of the group, Bienvenues aux Refugies, or Welcome to Refugees.
An anthropology and political science major at Laval University in Quebec City, Bissonnette had also expressed support on his Facebook profile for Generation Nationale, a group whose manifesto includes the rejection of "multiculturalism."
Police had initially arrested two men but later said just one remained a suspect.
More than 50 people were at the Quebec Islamic Cultural Center when the shooting occurred Sunday night. In addition to the six who died, five were in critical condition and 12 others suffered minor injuries, University of Quebec Hospital Center spokesman Genevieve Dupuis said Monday. The dead ranged in age from 35 to 65.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard both characterized the attack as a terrorist act, which came amid heightened tensions worldwide over Trump's travel ban on several Muslim countries.
Trudeau said in Parliament that the victims were targeted simply because of their religion and spoke directly to the more than 1 million Muslims who live in Canada, saying, "We are with you."
"Thirty-six million hearts are breaking with yours," Trudeau said. "Know that we value you."
One man was arrested at the scene and another nearby, in his car on a bridge near d'Orleans, where he called 911 to say he wanted to cooperate with police. Police said they did not believe there were other suspects but were investigating.
Police did not give a motive for the attack.
Trump called Trudeau to express condolences to the Canadian people and to offer any assistance that might be needed.
"Prime Minister Trudeau was extremely appreciative and he was also cautious to draw conclusions on the motives at this stage of the investigation and the president shared those thoughts," White House spokesman Sean Spicer said in Washington. "We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms. It's a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant and why the president is taking steps to be pro-active, rather than reactive when it comes to our nation's safety and security."
Pope Francis offered his condolences to Cardinal Garald Cyprien LaCroix, the archbishop of Quebec, who was visiting Rome on Monday. Messages of solidarity poured in from the leaders of France and Germany; Mayor Bill de Blasio of New York; and a 7-year-old girl who recently fled Syria, among others.
The victims were businessmen, a university professor and others who had gathered for evening prayers, said Mohamed Labidi, the vice president of the mosque.
"It's a very, very big tragedy for us," Labidi said. "We have a sadness we cannot express."
He said the victims were shot in the back.
"Security at our mosque was our major, major concern," he said. "But we were caught off-guard."
The shooting took place just before 7 p.m. Sunday. Witnesses described chaos as worshipers scrambled to find friends and loved ones, as police responding to the scene called for backup.
Couillard said he would "not go there" when asked if he blamed rhetoric in in the U.S. for the attack.
"Quebec is a good, generally loving society, but we have these devils as other societies have. We have to recognize that and fight them," Couillard said at a news conference in Quebec City at which he held hands with Muslim leaders.
In the summer of 2016 a pig's head was left on the doorstep of the Quebec Islamic Cultural Centre in the middle of Ramadan, when Muslims fast from dawn to sunset. Practicing Muslims do not eat pork.
"The Muslim community was the target of this murderous attack," Couillard said. He said solidarity rallies would be held across Quebec later Monday.
Worshiper Ali Hamadi said he left the mosque a few minutes before the shooting and that a friend, Abdelkrim Hassen, was killed. He said Hassen, who worked in information technology for the government, had three daughters and a wife, whom he had to notify of the death.
Majdi Dridi of the Muslim Association of Canada said he knew two of the victims. One was a work colleague who was a father of three little girls, he said.
"I don't know what to say, I just hope that his family and his children can have the patience to accept what happened," Dridi said.
A woman in Tunisia, Amira Derbali, confirmed in a Facebook message that her brother Aymen Derbali had been wounded in the shooting. Derbali, 41, is a Canadian citizen and a father of three, his sister said.
Another Tunisian, Bechir Thabti, wrote a Facebook post confirming the death of his brother, who he said left behind a wife, son and daughter.
Trudeau had earlier reacted to Trump's visa ban for people from some Muslim-majority countries by tweeting Saturday: "To those fleeing persecution, terror & war, Canadians will welcome you, regardless of your faith. Diversity is our strength #WelcomeToCanada."
The mayor of Gatineau, Quebec, near Canada's capital of Ottawa, said there would be an increased police presence at mosques around his city after the attack. The New York Police Department also said it was stepping up patrols at mosques and other houses of worship.
Information for this article was contributed by Sean Farrell of The Associated Press and by Ian Austen, Craig S. Smith and Sewell Chan of The New York Times.
A Section on 01/31/2017