GTA: A Young Muslim Man Arrested for Posting ISIS Videos
Canadian Muslim parents are already aware of the challenges they face regarding their children’s safety and activities, both online and offline. Given the current situation in Gaza, this issue becomes even more urgent. It’s easy for young people to feel alienated and “wronged” in today’s climate. However, we must ensure that justified outrage does not turn into a personal crusade. We should also be cautious that our children do not become attracted to those they perceive as “religious warriors” seeking revenge for the many lives lost in our community since September 11. The pain is real. But the solutions being offered to alleviate it are a zero-sum game. And our youth need to understand that.
For times like these, Islam and its emphasis on ‘sabr‘ (patience) and our consummate submission to His will are paramount. For He says: “I know, and you do not know” (Surah Al-Baqarah). Let’s leave it to Him to show us the way.
Now, over to the rest of this news:
In Newmarket, Ontario, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have arrested a young Muslim male on terrorism charges related to ISIS amid what they describe as “a surge in youth radicalization.”
The young man, who cannot be named due to being under 18, faces two charges:
1. Participating in the activities of a terrorist group by editing and publicly posting ISIS propaganda videos.
2. Encouraging a person to provide property, specifically firearms, intending that they be used for facilitating or carrying out a terrorist activity.
The arrest took place on November 4 but was only announced in an RCMP news release on November 24.
Authorities are increasingly concerned about the average age of individuals involved in planning or committing violent acts, which has been declining in recent years, with many arrests now involving teenagers. According to the director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, one in ten investigations now includes at least one “radicalized” minor. Previously, in August, a youth from Montreal was arrested over a suspected ISIS attack plot, and two youths in Ottawa are facing charges for allegedly planning to bomb a Jewish event.
Investigators have noted that terrorist groups are now using gaming platforms to reach and radicalize young people and to communicate with them. The RCMP, the New York Police Department, Peel Regional Police, the Toronto Police Service, and the Ontario Provincial Police collaborated on this investigation.
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