There was almost certainly little or no attempt to determine whether or not Hamdan had any jihadist links or sympathies. Any such attempt, had it even been possible in any genuinely effective way, would have been “Islamophobic.”
“He wore western clothes”: the Islamic State tells Muslims in the West to cultivate a Western, secular persona, so as to avoid attracting the attention of authorities.
More on this story. “B.C. terror suspect Othman Hamdan was a classic loner,” by Kim Bolan, Vancouver Sun, July 13, 2015 (thanks to Blazing Cat Fur):
FORT ST. JOHN — When terror suspect Othman Hamdan moved in next door to Owen Higdon three years ago, he asked if he could pay his neighbour $20 a month to tap into his wireless connection.
“I’m glad I didn’t take him up on that,” Higdon said Sunday, standing outside the apartment building where Hamdan was arrested Friday with police alleging he advocated murder online on behalf of the Islamic State.
Higdon said there was nothing about Hamdan that would have made him think the 33-year-old was an ISIS supporter. He wore western clothes. His English was “pretty good.” He had a house-building company and even offered Higdon electrical work, which he declined….
Hamdan is scheduled to appear in court here Monday on six counts of counselling acts of violence on behalf of a terrorist organization.
The Vancouver Sun has learned that Hamdan allegedly made the threatening comments on at least two pro-ISIS Facebook pages called The Defeat of the Alliance and The Alliance Defeat. Both have since been removed by Facebook administrators.
The Sun has also learned that Hamdan came to Canada via the U.S. in 2002 and was accepted as a refugee claimant. He’s originally from Jordan and claimed he would be persecuted if he went back there. He’s not a Canadian citizen.
He has lived in the Peace River area for at least three years as he registered his house-building company, Noex Contracting, in April 2012. The company’s address on corporate records is the same suite on 86th Street that was raided by police Friday.
Higdon said Hamdan was screaming and yelling as police took him into custody. He claimed that police were picking on him because of his ethnicity, Higdon said.
Local Muslim leaders said they didn’t know Hamdam and never saw him at their Friday prayers.
Of course. Jihadis in Western countries are never, ever known to the local mosque. Except when they are.
They were called to a meeting with the RCMP Friday and told about the investigation.
“Once we learned about it — it was like a shock to us,” said Azhar Phoolwala, of the Peace River Muslim Association. “We didn’t know how to react to it. Of course the obvious questions were: Do you know him and has he been a part of the community? We said we have never heard of him.”
Phoolwala, a banker originally from Mumbai, said there are close to 100 Muslims in Fort St. John who’ve come from all over the world to work here.
They are a close-knit, well-integrated community that is a world away from ISIS-inspired violence and ideology.
“It is a story that’s really upsetting and, as a community, I would say that we strongly condemn his actions,” he said.
Taher Morsi, who works for the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission, said police knew Hamdan had nothing to do with the local Muslim community and have made that clear.
He doesn’t expect any backlash against Muslims living in the area.
Phoolwala said the Muslim community is grateful that both police and Mayor Lori Ackerman have publicly stated that Hamdan was isolated with no local contacts or support.
The police, Morsi said, told the Muslin leaders: “They said this is not against your community. This is nothing against Muslims here. It is just against an individual person.”
Hamdan remains in the local RCMP detachment lock-up and requested a Qur’an in his cell, which was brought to him Sunday….
He wanted to commit mass murder because of what he read in the Qur’an. Would an imprisoned National Socialist be brought a copy of Mein Kampf?
Nonblvr says
They were called to a meeting with the RCMP Friday and told about the investigation………………………………….I wonder if the RCMP also calls members of the Christian, jewish, or other religious communities to the station to tell them about arrests?
Angemon says
So, what are the chances that the hundreds of thousands of “refugees” the EU wants to force its members states to take in will all be law-abiding citizens who are just grateful for being given sanctuary from the hellholes they’ve left behind?
Someone didn’t do their homework. The “HELP, HELP, POLICE RACISM!!!” crap only flies on their southern neighbors – at least for the time being.
Matthieu Baudin says
“…He wanted to commit mass murder because of what he read in the Qur’an. Would an imprisoned National Socialist be brought a copy of Mein Kampf?”
I invite anyone of sound mind and a little time to spare, to read Mein Kampf and the Koran back to back, to judge for themselves whether the comparison above is flippant or legitimate. I have read both and found each to be whirlwinds of invective and anger. The Koran in fact is loaded with more violent imagery than Mein Kampf. Surely some of our policy advisers could trust themselves to read each page and quietly reflect on the contents instead of forever being at the mercy of second hand opinions.
celticwarriorcanada says
Please pray for Canada ! If the Harper Conservatives lose the coming Fall election , either Thomas Mulcair’s N.D.P. or Justin Trudeau’s Liberal Party, will follow the disastrous example of their E.U.and American Comrades and will invite into Canada, as many of these poor persecuted islamic savages and barbarians, as possible. While they leave The Middle East and African Christians to the mercy of the islamic state , boko haram and the numerous other muslim terrorist groups . At least they will drops some blankets for them. Hopefully, These Truly persecuted people, will enjoy them for a few minutes, before they are stolen from them . A little bit of Canadian Charity! before, they have to witness the beheading and rape of their chlidren .
gravenimage says
Islamic State jihad plotter came to Canada as a refugee
There was almost certainly little or no attempt to determine whether or not Hamdan had any jihadist links or sympathies. Any such attempt, had it even been possible in any genuinely effective way, would have been “Islamophobic.”
………………………..
Of course not. How many other Muslims just like Hamden are there out there? And he cane from Jordan, which is supposed to be a “moderate” Muslim country. Why would he have to come here as a “refugee” from such a place? Either Jordan isn’t so moderate after all, or Hamden’s claim was bogus…
More:
“He wore western clothes”: the Islamic State tells Muslims in the West to cultivate a Western, secular persona, so as to avoid attracting the attention of authorities.
………………………..
How common *is this*? A liking for Western fashion—or drinking or strip clubs—does *not* ensure that a Muslim isn’t devout where it counts, in the waging of violent Jihad.
Add in two more factors—Muslims sometimes perpetrate acts of JIhad terror in order to “atone” for having been a lax Muslim; and them sometimes Muslims will deliberately pose as lax Muslims in order to put the foolish Kuffar by putting them at ease. This last is, in fact, a specific Muslim doctrine.
More:
Higdon said Hamdan was screaming and yelling as police took him into custody. He claimed that police were picking on him because of his ethnicity, Higdon said.
………………………..
Uh…yeah. It might not have had anything to do with his plotting violent Jihad, could it? Noh—it must just be “racism”. sarc/off
More:
Local Muslim leaders said they didn’t know Hamdam and never saw him at their Friday prayers.
………………………..
As noted, local Muslims—usually including the Imam of area Mosques—*always* say this, and hopeful Infidels usually swallow it. Will anyone investigate further on the attitudes and activities of these Mohammedans? I wouldn’t count on it…
More:
They were called to a meeting with the RCMP Friday and told about the investigation.
………………………..
As other posters have noted, how often is it that police feel the need to mollify the “community” after an arrest with other groups?
More:
He doesn’t expect any backlash against Muslims living in the area.
………………………..
Then why even mention it? The fact is that “backlash” almost *never* happens, and Muslims know it. But they are quick to trot out the fake victimhood.
More:
Hamdan remains in the local RCMP detachment lock-up and requested a Qur’an in his cell, which was brought to him Sunday….
He wanted to commit mass murder because of what he read in the Qur’an. Would an imprisoned National Socialist be brought a copy of Mein Kampf?
………………………..
Yup—perhaps they’ll make sure an Imam goes to pray with him for the defeat of the filthy Infidels, as well…
Suicidal madness.
mortimer says
If mosque members knew about the conspiracy or were conspirators, why would they report it?
The assumption the authorities are making without evidence is that JIHAD IS NOT NORMATIVE ISLAM.
Those who haven’t studied the jihad doctrines (the authorities) are self-declared experts BECAUSE THEY SAY SO.
Naïve leaders are making the jihadists bolder.
dumbledoresarmy says
File this story away, fellow jihadwatchers from all across the anglosphere and beyond it.
Make sure you have a full copy of the original news story complete with the original link, saved onto your computer.
Then enclose it, along with as many other similar stories from various places as you think necessary to ram home the point, when you write to your Immigration ministers to demand that there be an immediate and total cessation of all Muslim immigration into your country, including a cessation of all admission of identifiable Muslims claiming to be “refugees” and “asylum seekers”.
Precautionary principle.
Time to STOP playing the very dangerous and expensive and nerve-wracking game of “Muslim Roulette”.