Toronto, Canada - Anti-Islamic backlash has gone down for the first time since 9/11, Toronto-area Muslim leaders say.
But even though alleged incidents of harassment and assaults against Muslims have plunged, leaders said that judging from community feedback and the number of calls being received at city mosques, they haven't disappeared.
"This is a good sign," Omar Farouk, president of the International Muslims Organization of Toronto (IMO), said of the decline. "There is a lot of dialogue going on behind the scene with police and those in authority."
For months after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, mosques were flooded with calls from people who claimed they were harassed by police, border officials or the public, Farouk said. "Back then there was more harassment and chaos," he said. "There were non-stop complaints from the community."
Tension returned after last summer's roundup of 18 GTA terror suspects, a backlash that led to 30 windows being smashed at the IMO on Rexdale Blvd.
Since then there have been many meetings, seminars and training sessions between Muslims, interfaith groups, Toronto Police, the RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service.
Adam Esse, of the Coalition of Muslim Organizations, said the takedown of the alleged terror cell strained relations between his community and police. "(It) had a very negative impact on our community," Esse said. "Now our relationship with the police has improved greatly."
The dialogue seems to be working. "There seems to be less incidents involving hate crime and property damage based on religion," Toronto police Supt. Ron Taverner said yesterday. "We are now getting feedback from the community."
The RCMP's diversity liaison co-ordinator Howard Adams has also been meeting with the community for months. "We have common interests," Const. Michele Paradis said. "For the first time there is a willingness to speak to each other on the issues."