FLQ bomber Pierre-Paul Geoffroy built bombs in Montreal apartment

Montreal Police Raid Reveals Bomb-Making Operation in 1969

In March 1969, Montreal police raided a flat on St-Dominique Street in the Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood. They were searching for a bomber linked to the Front de Libération du Québec (FLQ) and quickly identified their suspect.

Bob Côté, a Montreal police bomb disposal expert, recalled, “When they opened the door, they saw a picture of Che Guevara… and they found bits of red and yellow wires, characteristic of detonators.”

The suspect, Pierre-Paul Geoffroy, was a 24-year-old college dropout assembling a bomb. Mr. Côté and his team discovered two more live bombs and a pile of dynamite in a large metal trunk. This stash could have destroyed a city block.

Geoffroy’s Background and Actions

Mr. Côté noted that Geoffroy’s apartment was a bomb-making warehouse. Geoffroy was the most prolific bomber in the FLQ’s decade-long campaign. He died from pneumonia on December 6 at the age of 81.

During 1968 and 1969, police dealt with 31 FLQ bombs planted by Geoffroy and his cell. Mr. Côté defused most of them, but an explosion on February 13, 1969, at the Montreal Stock Exchange injured 27 people, three seriously.

Author D’Arcy Jenish stated, “It was an absolute miracle that nobody was killed.”

Bomb-Making Techniques

Geoffroy learned bomb-making from an FLQ pamphlet. Mr. Côté described him as a “local talent” with basic skills. “If you have basic knowledge of electricity, you can make a bomb,” he said.

Montreal’s construction boom provided easy access to dynamite. Geoffroy stole materials from construction sites and quarries. He used a Westclox alarm clock as a timer, available for $3.95.

Geoffroy and his accomplices planted bombs at night and warned French-language radio station CKAC, allowing police to respond. Most of the time, this strategy worked.

Geoffroy’s Arrest and Sentencing

In a 2020 CBC interview, Geoffroy claimed he warned the stock exchange about the attack, but his bomb was designed to explode in the afternoon. His sister Louise said, “Apparently he prepared bombs in his room… but I never saw it happen.”

Geoffroy transported bombs by bus or subway, sometimes in a shopping bag. The FLQ’s ideology influenced their choice of targets, including a statue of Sir John A. Macdonald and various businesses.

Pierre-Paul Geoffroy was born on July 25, 1944, in Berthierville, Quebec. He was the youngest of three children. His father, Maurice, was a grocer and active in Liberal Party politics.

Political Views and Trial

Geoffroy became involved in the Quebec separatist movement and joined the Rassemblement pour l’indépendance nationale (RIN). He believed FLQ bombs would awaken Quebec’s people to fight for change.

After dropping out of political science studies, he joined the FLQ. Following his arrest, he pleaded guilty to 31 bombings and received 124 life sentences. He never named accomplices.

In court, he raised his hand in a V for Victory sign when sentenced. Judge André Fabien called him “a serious danger to society.” Geoffroy later stated he was “proud to have done what I did.”

Public Reaction and Family Support

Geoffroy’s lengthy sentence drew media attention. Supporters called him a political prisoner. During the October Crisis of 1970, the FLQ demanded his release.

His family visited him regularly in prison. His nephew, Nicolas Langelier, recalled accompanying his mother on visits. Geoffroy’s father saw his son’s actions as a failure.

Geoffroy applied for parole multiple times and was released in 1981 after serving 12 years. Other members of his cell served only months.

Life After Prison

Prison affected Geoffroy deeply. He struggled with freedom after his release. “You’re frightened. Everything moves too fast,” he said in 1984.

Langelier described his uncle as “broken” by prison. Louise, his sister, noted, “I never heard him say he had any regrets.”

Geoffroy later ran a home-cleaning business and worked with youth in crisis. He maintained some old contacts. The day before he died, former FLQ associates visited him in the hospital.

Geoffroy is survived by his sister Louise, brother Jacques, partner Dominique Garcia, and four nieces and nephews.

Bob Côté expressed a wish to meet Geoffroy to ask if he felt fear while making bombs.