RCMP warns Calgary family their home is on ISIS hit list
List of 8,300 people around globe includes names of 151 Canadians
A Calgary man is worried about the safety of his family after police notified him his house is on an ISIS hit list.
There are 151 Canadians on the ISIS list, which contains the names, email and physical addresses of some 8,300 people around the globe. Although there is no indication anyone has been harmed, police are contacting the people named out of a "duty to inform."
The 32-year-old Calgary man bought the house eight months ago and believes the address was attached to a previous resident's web account that was hacked.
"If there's a kill list, and our house is on it, what do I do?" said the father of a two-year-old girl. He asked not to be named at the advice of the RCMP.
His wife had called him in tears with the news. She had returned from work and found a card from an RCMP officer on the door. When she called, the female officer told her their address was on a target list.
"My wife's like, 'What target list?' She says it's an ISIS target list."
'I got my rifles out'
The officer went on to explain that the name attached to the address was from a previous resident whose LinkedIn or Facebook account had been hacked.
"They basically said, 'Just keep your eyes open, anything suspicious, any unknown packages on your deck, call her as soon as possible.'"
I got my rifles out ... I'm ready to protect my family, my daughter, my wife and my neighbours- Calgary man whose home is on ISIS hit list
The uncertainty has been trying, but the man, a Calgary native who works as a landscaper, is trying to remain calm.
"I don't believe they're going to go and attack a residential house, but who knows? Whoever was living here might have stirred some crap up with them."
But just in case, he's installing a security system and not taking any chances.
"My reaction is — I went downstairs, I got my rifles out, I got it ready. I'm here, I'm ready to protect my family, my daughter, my wife and my neighbours."
'Little bit of terror'
The man has also warned his neighbours to keep an eye out for anything suspicious and to let him know so he can contact police.
One of his neighbours — whom CBC is also not naming for security reasons — echoes his concern.
"It's frightening to say the least, I don't know what to make of it," said the neighbour, who has a girlfriend and small children.
"I would like to say I don't want to worry about it, but I'd be lying to you."
Both men said they never thought this would happen in Canada.
"It's a little disheartening for him and his family and puts a little bit of terror into the general scope of your everyday living when you've got to worry that something may progress and possibly happen on Canadian soil."
ISIS list
The Canadian names on the ISIS hit list are mostly of women from small cities in Canada, although there are some from large cities too, according to the CBC's Adrienne Arsenault, who has obtained a copy of the list.
In analyzing the Canadian data, CBC has learned that most email addresses (71 per cent) appear to have been hacked at some point, either in an old LinkedIn hack or one from Myspace or Adobe.
The Middle East Media Research Institute first uncovered the list on pro-ISIS accounts from social media platforms like Telegram.
The entity behind the list is called the United Cyber Caliphate, an umbrella group for pro-ISIS hackers. Most of their hit lists target U.S. drone operators, transit police or government employees.
But the latest list appears to contain a more random listing of civilians.
An RCMP spokesman told CBC News the force is aware of the list and is working with domestic and international law enforcement partners to assess the information and notify Canadians on the list.
"Because of the sensitive nature of this matter, we will not be providing further comment," Harold Pfleiderer said.
The CBC respects the privacy and safety of those named on the list, and will not publish their names.