Canadian killed fighting for ISIS in Syria: report

Ottawa is looking into reports that a Canadian who starred in an ISIS propaganda video has been killed in northern Syria while fighting for the terrorist group, as the Conservatives prepare to table new anti-terror legislation.

John Maguire, 23, who used the name Abu Anwar Al-Canadi, was killed in the city of Kobani, according to a pro-ISIS Twitter account.

Coalition forces had launched six airstrikes Tuesday against ISIS forces in the area.

Maguire, a former University of Ottawa student, had tried to encourage attacks on Canadian soil in a video posted online last December.

He also directly threatened Canadians in the video, which was shot among the ruins of an unidentified town.

“Your people will be indiscriminately targeted, as you indiscriminately target our people,” he said.

CTV News has not been able to independently verify the video, including when it was recorded. It was distributed by a U.S. company that monitors jihadist posts around the world.

In the video, Maguire said he was a typical Canadian kid who “grew up on the hockey rink,” had good grades at school and no criminal record.

The Prime Minister’s Office said it was aware of reports Maguire had been killed, and was “seeking additional information on them.”

The Public Safety Minister’s office released a statement saying it could not speak about specific cases, but warned other Canadians planning to join ISIS, also known as ISIL and the Islamic State.

“Any individual who decides to join the ISIL jihadists runs the risk of meeting their ultimate demise,” the statement said.

Ottawa is promising new anti-terror legislation that will target Canadian militants travelling abroad and homegrown threats, including young radicals.