Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, 32, is seen in an undated picture from the Vancouver Police Department released by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Oct. 25, 2014.Reuters
The RCMP may not release a video manifesto recorded by the gunman who stormed Parliament's Centre Block building, a reversal for Canada's top Mountie who earlier said the video "certainly" would be made public some day.
In the video recovered by police, Michael Zehaf-Bibeau is said to have laid out political motives for his Oct. 22 attack that killed a soldier, and made a religious reference.
RCMP Commissioner Bob Paulson has said previously he would push for that video to be made public. On Monday, Commissioner Paulson backtracked.
"I think it forms a central part of the evidence of that [investigation]. I think we need to think thoroughly through the benefits and the merits of releasing the video, so the answer to that question is I really don't know," Commissioner Paulson said. "I think that we may look at releasing some aspects of a transcript of the video, but I don't know that we will be releasing the video."
Later asked what had changed his mind, Commissioner Paulson cited the "intensity of the investigation." He also said the RCMP are "looking at preserving evidence for some sort of court process," though it's unclear what process would take place. The RCMP have not identified any suspected accomplices or participants beyond Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau, who is dead.
"Having regard for the nature of the investigation is what has changed. I do understand the public interest in understanding what is in that video, and I do remain interested in seeing some version of that, contents of that, being shared," Commissioner Paulson said.
His comments came as a House of Commons committee on Monday passed Bill C-44, a counterterrorism law aimed at boosting powers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) spy agency, without making any changes. The committee spent a total of four hours hearing from witnesses. The bill has been on a fast track through Parliament since its tabling after the shooting, though it was prepared before the attack.
Commissioner Paulson spoke at a news conference in Ottawa alongside Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, who said another bill with expanded law enforcement powers for surveillance, detention and arrest in counterterrorism cases is due for release "in the near future."
Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed Corporal Nathan Cirillo at the National War Memorial before storming Parliament's Centre Block building, police say. He was killed in a confrontation with guards. The RCMP, however, haven't offered any new update since the days after that attack.
Commissioner Paulson declined to do so on Monday, and wouldn't say when the RCMP expected to make any other details public.
"The investigation continues to earnestly collect details, and I'm hopeful that in a position in the not-too-far-off distant future, that we'll be able to update Canadians on the specific details that you're asking about. But having regard for the active and current investigation, it's probably best not to comment on it," he said.
Commissioner Paulson was asked why RCMP officers did not warn House of Commons guards to lock the doors as Mr. Zehaf-Bibeau approached the building. Mr. Paulson said he suspected the Mounties were busy chasing the gunman, and that he did not know whether they tried to give a warning.
Mr. Paulson told a Senate committee on Oct. 27 that the video would "certainly" be made public eventually.
"We are all interested in getting that before the public, but we're interested in making sure that we have secured and are confident in its intelligence and evidence value. I don't know when it's going to be released. It will certainly be released some day, but I would be a fool to say when it will be released," he said at the time.