Section Contents:
Useful Links:
| |
Announcements
IF's Chiarman, Haithem Al-Hassani, meets with Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper.
Subsequent to the recent arrest of terrorists’ suspects in Ontario, the Prime Minister of Canada Stephen Harper met privately with 15 Arabs and Muslims from various organizations on Saturday, June 10, 2006. The organizations represented were CAIR-Can, ISNA, Muslim Canadian Congress, the Ismaili Muslim Foundation, the Iraqi Foundation represented by its Chairman Haithem Al-Hassani, COMO-Coalition of Muslim Organizations, Muslim Association of Chinese Canadians, Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations and NCCAR-National Council of Canada Arab Relations. The meeting was off-limits to the media.
The following issues and concerns were raised at the meeting:
- Canadians need to understand that the religion of Islam is about peace, not violence. Those who claim otherwise are brainwashed by those who preach an ideology of hatred. Muslims should not be labeled as terrorists. The Media has a responsibility to always remind their audience about this when covering news about terrorism. Government officials should also do the same.
- Muslim community leaders, Mosques’ Imams as well as the silent majority of Muslims in Canada need to speak up and say “Not in the name of my religion”, and should strongly and clearly condemn violence in any shape or form.
- Stronger legislations to fight terrorism is required: Supporting Bill S-206 which was tabled by Senator Jerry Grafstein to the Senate on April 5th to amend the Criminal Code to clarify that Suicide Bombings fall within the definition “terrorist activity”. It will ensure that organizers, teachers and sponsors of Suicide Bombers do not elude justice. This is necessary and timely. Using houses of worship to call for holy war, promoting violence or spreading hatred should be punishable by law.
Haithem Al-Hassani told the PM “We (in Iraq) are suffering the most from terrorist activities, and I am of the belief that it is not a matter of (if’), it is a matter of (when) we will get hit in Canada. We have to stand firm against this ideology of hatred.”
There were different viewpoints aired about what may have led a group of young Muslims to consider violent attacks on their own country.
The Prime Minister took detailed notes and assured the group that he recognized the concerns of their community, saying the government will draw a "clear line" between criminal elements and the vast majority of peaceful Canadian Muslims.
Parliamentary secretary Jason Kenney Kenney, will follow up with the group, he attended the meeting too.
|
|
