Charges follow Grand Manan riot

ASaint John man who was involved in a riot on Grand Manan Island last week now faces criminal charges in connection with another incident

Ronald Ross, 41,was charged Tuesday with uttering death threats and threatening to burn down a home.

Ross wasreleased from custody on condition he does not return to the island. He is due back in provincial court Aug. 29 to enter a plea.

No charges have been laidregardingFriday night'sriot, during which police say a group of local residents tried to burn down a Castalia house occupied by Ross and a 34-year-old woman.

RCMP later took the woman off the island for her own safety, according to her mother.

The riot was allegedly spurred by reports that crack cocaine was being soldfrom the Castalia house.

The woman's mother told CBC News she knows nothing about those allegations. "Whatever the case may be, that doesn't give anybody the right to set a house on fire with people in it," she said.

"I think it was very unreal wrong to try to burn people alive in a house."

Meanwhile, Grand Manan Mayor Dennis Greene urgedinvestigators to be lenient with thosewho took part in the riot.

"People will be really upset if charges are laid against the people who had any involvement with the burning of the house and of the disturbance that was there," Greene said.

Grand Manan is located in the Bay of Fundy near New Brunswick's border with Maine.

RCMP say their investigation into the riot is continuing.