The gunman attack at the Canadian Parliament on Wednesday appears not to be a "lone wolf" attack on a government office. Police indicated on Thursday that 32-year-old Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the gunman, had Middle Eastern links.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Commissioner Bob Paulson said the gunman possibly was also a Libyan citizen, and based on his passport application documents, planned to travel to Libya.

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The new development would add Zehaf-Bibeau to the growing number of Canadians and other nationals from western nations fascinated with the Islamic State (IS) and planned to undergo a radicalization process.

The gunman's father was a Libyan, while his mother was a Canadian, Paulson disclosed. He was born in Montreal and lived in Calgary and Vancouver, reports Today Online.

"We need to investigate and understand his radicalization process," the RMCP official told the online daily. "He is an interesting individual in that he had a very well developed criminality."

Paulson pointed out that there is no single path or formula to radicalization.

Zehaf-Bibeau reportedly converted to Islam, something he had in common with other young westerners who became attracted to the Islamic faith and expressed willingness to join the jihad in Syria and Iraq, said Paulson. But the gunman's application for a Canadian passport was not yet processed fully.

The gunman was in Ottawa to follow up his passport application. While he had some criminal records related to drugs and violence, a check by the RCMP failed to find any evidence of criminality linked to national security.

Martin Rouleau, the 25-year-old Canadian who ran over two Canadians with his car on Monday and killed one of them, was also an Islam convert. However, the RCMP dismissed any links between the two incidents.

The gunman was shot dead by a soldier at a national war memorial in the Canadian capital city while racing through the parliament building where Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper was meeting with MPs. He also shot dead a Canadian soldier identified as Corporal Nathan Cirillo.

Rather than be intimidated by Zehaf-Bibeau's attack, Harper said the incident would translate into Canada redoubling its efforts to battle terrorism. He disclosed in the early part of October that Canada plans to join the Coalition airstrikes against the IS by deploying six jets to the Middle East.

The incident also prompted the U.S. to tighten security at the Arlington National Cemetery outside Washington, while U.S. President Barack Obama described the attack as outrageous.

TagsCanada shooting, Parliament Hill, ISIS, michael zehaf-bibeau, RCMP, Ottawa gunman