Monday, February 09, 2009
Interventions Ottawa against Islamic extremism, by Francis Chartrand
The government has resorted to "techniques against-radicalization" to keep Canadian Muslims of extremism, according to a secret intelligence report obtained by the National Post.
The document describes a little-known government-wide strategy aimed at preventing the emergence in Canada to emulate Al Qaeda as those who attacked the London Underground.
The measures described in the report range from meetings with community and religious leaders to urge them to fight against radicalization, to more controversial interventions by police and security officials.
According to the early report of 13 pages of the Canadian Security Intelligence Review: "Manifestations of Islamist terrorism in the West in recent years have raised concerns about the radicalization of Western Muslims."
"The terrorist plots in the UK, Spain, the Netherlands, Canada and other Western countries have been planned or carried out by Muslims born or raised in these countries .... In an effort to prevent future attacks, the response of governments has been to begin to develop strategies to fight against radicalization in these communities."
In general, Canadian authorities have not discussed their initiatives in the fight against radicalization, and there is no obvious indication of this strategy on the official website of the government.
The report lists four techniques against radicalization-employed in Canada:
"Intervention with youth at risk", "arrests and imprisonment," the community closer, "and a" whole of government approach ".
"An important evaluation criterion is universally accepted that people in the early stages of radicalization are more likely to change or to divert those who are at an advanced stage," says the report.
"If beginners are still assessing their interest in joining a group or an ideology, the intervention should, in theory, towards a less dangerous way."
Canada won its first two convictions under the Terrorism Act last fall. A member of the group is called the cell of 18 Toronto and Momin Khawaja of Ottawa were convicted. Khawaja of the sentence to be imposed on 12 February.
Although Canadian authorities have now made several arrests, the government has revealed little about its efforts to fight against extremist beliefs that are the cause of terrorism.
The document offers a rare glimpse of Canada's initiative, while recognizing that it is too early to say if it was successful. The report also recognizes that Ottawa does not involved in the de-radicalization of extremists today described as comparable to the deprogramming members of cults.
Community mobilization is the most notorious of the program. The RCMP, CSIS and other agencies met with community groups to discuss radicalization.
The report states that the goal of bringing community is "to encourage community leaders and religious leaders to take steps to monitor and counter the process of radicalization within their communities."
A tactic less known is that the report calls "disruption / intervention" and he describes as "the active intervention of a security agency or law enforcement, with other partners with a individuals whose activities are a source of concern."
The tactics include interviews with young people identified as being at risk and, occasionally, discussions with their family or their relatives, and, on occasion, evidence of activities deemed harmful to national security are presented to the person, "says the report.
The report said it takes time to determine whether an intervention has worked.
According to the report, "Success is difficult to measure since the initial disturbance can cause a person to cease its activities for a while. Only long-term that we can determine whether the cessation of involvement in Islamist extremism is permanent."
The report did not indicate how often the tactic is used. The Department of Public Safety has acknowledged that he was involved in community mobilization and research on radicalization, but refused to discuss the use of tactical intervention. Jacinthe Perras, spokesman for the ministry, said: "It would be inappropriate to discuss the operational techniques of our partners."
The document, dated December 2007, was drafted by the Directorate of Intelligence Assessment of CSIS. A declassified copy was recently made accessible under the Access to Information.
Although only a small minority of Muslims are attracted by the violent ideology of al-Qaida and Osama bin Laden, CSIS speaks of a "serious problem" and a "direct and immediate threat to Canada."
"There is a process of radicalization of young people and young children in Canada who is currently," says another CSIS report newly released. This report from 2008 is entitled "The radicalization of Islamic youth in Canada echoes."
A third intelligence report, "Radicalization in Canada," notes that in a 2007 Environics poll on Canadian Muslims, 12% of respondents said they believe that terrorist attacks against Canada were justified.
"If the factors behind the radicalization does not improve, including the perception that Islam is attacked, it is expected that the radical, and hence the need for countermeasures against, will increase."
Jack Hooper, who was the deputy director of the Department of CSIS operations until his retirement in 2007, said that there have been debates within the intelligence service on the fight against radicalization. The debate revolved around whether the Service was mandated to carry out against radical-if it was an efficient use of resources and even if it was an appropriate role for the organization.
"I can not believe that most Canadians would like spies go to communities and try to change behavior," said Hooper.
"It disgusts me and I think that would be repugnant to many Canadians. They have no objection to what social workers and possibly other government agencies have such programs, but an intelligence service?"
Under a program-against radicalization, the police tried to build bridges with young Muslims. RCMP officers involved in combating terrorism appended young Muslims to a football match at BMO Field in Toronto last December. Then they met and they talked.
"The game was excellent and the idea is good," said Muhammad Robert Heft, who attended the match. "I think whenever you get to know people personally, you are a little more compassionate towards them as individuals, and this reduces the prejudices of both sides."
But he said that some "individuals more radical" are reluctant to approach the police because they seem to believe that "it is useless, they will continue to attack us they will continue to shape us , "said Heft, who runs the Paradise Forever, a support group for Muslims.
"This is not the only solution because you will not convince people who are determined to do harm to others that playing football will soften. But what you will accomplish is to soften the people around them, those who might be more inclined to cooperate. This is the key."
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CANADIAN MUSLIMS BY THEMSELVES
Various citations:
"It's a global fight. This is not a single country and a single battlefield ... It is an obligation to attack here ... they expect no doubt what happened in London ... a bomb in the subway, 10 people killed, and everyone is deported. This is not what we do ... our project is a much, much more. You do it once and you make sure that they will never recover."- Fahim Ahmad
Fahim Ahmad, of Toronto, made the comments on 5 March 2006 in a conversation recorded by police, according to the Crown. He was then arrested for his alleged involvement in the terrorist group of 18 in Toronto.
"If there were any planned attacks against Canadian soldiers and American by" Muslim militants' in Canadian soil, I argue ... Canadian soldiers in Canadian soil who are training to go to Afghanistan or Iraq are legitimate targets to kill. ... Now it is POSSIBLE AND LEGITIMATE! ... Believe me, if a sufficient number of our soldiers were killed, then we will be forced to withdraw from Afghanistan. ... I am pleased to see the blood of Western troops."- Salman Hossain
Salman Hossain, a student at the University of Toronto, was the subject of an RCMP investigation after posting these messages on the Internet, but he was never charged.
"Allah is great Allah bless Sheikh bin Laden. That the sword held by the hand of al-Qaeda hits not only Europe but also all our enemies. Whatever they are. I live in Canada and the Government of Canada supports the Americans. The Government of Canada supports Israel. Canadian soldiers are sent to Afghanistan and Iraq. Now is the turn of Canada. I want to drive non-Muslims from Canada. Only their deaths will overcome Islam. Allah is great ". - Altar
A man from Quebec, using the pseudo Altar, posted this message on an Internet forum last year, but he says he now regrets.
"If you ask me to take a truck full of explosives and darken in a military, I will."- E-mail written by a young woman from Toronto, convicted British terrorist Aabida Khan.
"We must understand and accept that Osama Bin Laden has left all the immense comforts and luxuries of life to serve a cause, which is fully in agreement with Islam."- Muhammad Naeem Khan Naeem
Muhammad Naeem Khan Toronto took those remarks in an interview last year after having called Bin Laden a "hero" and a "champion of Islam" in a message on the Internet.
"Imagine if there were 10 September 11th, is it would not fall America, it never rises? Yes, I understand that innocent people are dead, but there is absolutely no other way to achieve the same objective with the same effect."- Momin Khawaja
This was written Momin Khawaja of Ottawa in an e-mail to a British terrorist. Khawaja was convicted last year of five charges under the ATA.
Let's note also one of 18 members of Toronto, said at his trial: "Our goal, on a term of 15 years, to convert the Indians of the Province of Quebec to Islam, so that they can destroy all Quebecers for their crime to be put the Indians in reserve. Of all the Western peoples, the people of Quebec is the most impure and imoral, and so hatered that it is collectively unforgivable, throughout all its sins. Aspen that Quebec will not be spared, and we made his decision. Allah is great ".
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Labels: Canada, Francis Chartrand, Islam, Religion and fanaticism, Terrorism
# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 7:49 PM 
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