The RCMP’s INSET is now involved in a case with implications for terrorism and foreign interference, prompted by a trespassing incident at Western University.

By Sam Cooper for The Bureau

For the original report, see the publisher’s website here.

In Brief by Probe International

An investigation involving four Western University engineering students has drawn the attention of the RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET) after a trespassing incident at Western University led to the discovery of firearms and explosives.

The investigation began on January 24, 2026, when campus police pursued a trespasser and found a loaded handgun. Subsequent searches revealed precursor substances and finished explosives at a nearby student residence. The suspects, who requested Mandarin interpretation in court, include Jerry Tong, a financial advisor with connections to Nortel, Zekun Wang, a researcher in nuclear materials, Fei Han, an expert in rocketry, and Feiyang Ji, whose background remains unclear. The suspects face various charges, including unlawful possession of explosives and manufacturing prohibited firearms.

Wang’s research in nuclear materials and Han’s experience with rocket propulsion systems raise concerns about their potential capabilities related to weapons manufacturing. The case is set against a backdrop of heightened scrutiny regarding foreign access to Canadian research, particularly from China, and the potential risks associated with Chinese student associations on campuses.

A 2023 Globe and Mail investigation found that numerous Canadian universities had collaborated with China’s National University of Defence Technology (NUDT), linked to the Chinese Communist Party’s Central Military Commission, resulting in hundreds of research papers on quantum cryptography, photonics, missile guidance, and surveillance systems over nearly two decades. In response, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) issued a public advisory warning that China’s military-civil fusion policy blurs the lines between civilian and military research, suggesting that Canadian research could aid China’s military modernization.

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