Young Muslim calls on police, Nenshi to do more about extremists
A young Muslim activist wants to see more action from Calgary authorities to deal with extremists.
The call comes after CBC News uncovered details about young Calgary men moving overseas to fight for a notorious terrorist organization in the name of jihad.
Damian Clairmont left Calgary in November 2012 and was killed during rebel infighting. Salman Ashrafi is responsible for a suicide bombing in Iraq in November that killed 46 people. And just last week it was revealed that Farah Mohamed Shirdon appeared in an Islamic State of Iraq and Syria video burning his Canadian passport, issuing a threat to Canada, the U.S. and "all oppressors."
Hajar Al Khouzaii says she worries videos such as this tarnish all Muslims.
"Those are radical extremists who have been taught to do this,” says Al Khouzaii, who organized a protest this weekend.
"You think this is far away and it doesn't matter because you live in Calgary and they live across the ocean — you should worry a lot.”
Calgary police say they have been aware for more than eight years that young people are being recruited in Calgary. Chief Rick Hanson says police are aware up to 30 Calgarians have gone overseas to fight with radical groups and some have come back.
"We're not in the mosques. We're not in places where those who know that environment and know when something unusual is happening,” said Hanson.
Al Khouzaii says she is in those places and wants police to do more to crack down on the meetings where radicals are gathering.
“There are a lot of people, including myself, who have reported this continuously to police. That there are mosques in the city where there are meetings for these types of organizations to build,” said Al Khouzaii.
"We know two of the biggest mosques in the city where they are holding these meetings."
Al Khouzaii also says that as a Muslim and the head of one of Canada's biggest cities, Mayor Naheed Nenshi should be making a statement condemning radicals.
Nenshi said last week he considers it a police matter. He declined a request for an interview.
