Canadian police have charged a Canadian man with illegally aiding a "terrorist group" with activities in Canada and Britain.
Mohammed Momin Khawaja, 29, was arrested at work in Ottawa on Monday. Police searched his house, where two of his relatives were briefly detained, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a written police statement.
The RCMP said a court-ordered publication ban prohibited it from giving details of the accusations against Khawaja, but said they concerned activities between November 10, 2003 and March 29, 2004 in Ottawa and London.
Khawaja made a court appearance in Ottawa on Tuesday during which he was ordered to remain in custody until at least April 2, police said.
An RCMP spokesman was not available for comment on whether the arrest was connected to raids in Britain on Tuesday that led to eight arrests and the seizure of explosives in that country's biggest anti-terror operation since September 11, 2001.
CBC reported that Khawaja is a software developer who has done contract work for the Department of Foreign Affairs. The work did not involve classified materials, a department spokesperson told the network.
Khawaja's brother, Qasim, told CBC that the family has no links to extremist groups.
The RCMP said in its press release announcing the arrest that it was aware Ottawa's "Muslim community has raised concerns about this investigation," but the department denied the case was the result of "race profiling."