How long are Western authorities going to pretend that all these young Muslims streaming into the Islamic State from the West, or trying to, were “radicalized on the Internet” or “misunderstand their peaceful religion”? These young people are trying to join the Islamic State because of the Islam they learned in their own mosques and from their own families. Everyone assumes that not to be the case, but it has never been investigated. Apparently it is too frightening a concept for officials to contemplate.
“Alberta youth arrested on terrorism charges,” by Ryan Cormier and Alicja Siekierska, Edmonton Journal, March 21, 2015:
A 17-year-old boy arrested Thursday in Beaumont, Alta., has been charged with attempting to leave Canada with the intention of joining Islamic State extremists to commit murder.
The youth, who cannot be identified, faces two terrorism-related charges. He appeared before a justice of the peace Thursday in Edmonton and was denied bail. He is scheduled to return to court April 9. The RCMP’s Integrated National Security Enforcement Team arrested the youth.
The teen is charged with attempting to leave Canada on March 8 to join a terrorist group and, on the second charge, to participate in terrorist activity. The youth intended to commit an offence, “namely murder, in circumstances that constitute terrorist activity,” his charges state. The youth attempted to leave Canada on March 8.
“Throughout this investigation, our focus remained on the safety and protection of the public,” RCMP spokesman Sgt. Harold Pfleiderer said Friday. “While it may be difficult for parents to come forward to the police, it is important for families and communities to contact police as soon as they suspect that an individual is being radicalized.”
Keep hoping.
…A report in January said three members of Edmonton’s Somali-Canadian community were allegedly killed while fighting overseas for Islamic State, also known as ISIL or ISIS, last fall. In February, it was also reported that a young woman who fled Canada to join ISIL last year had been recruited via an online course about Islam run by a woman based in Edmonton.