A “prominent community leader” among Toronto Muslims tipped off the RCMP to possible terror suspects, the CBC reports.
And the Mounties gave GTA’s imams a “special briefing” Monday before announcing the arrest of two men in an alleged plot to derail a VIA passenger train, one community leader told the CBC Tuesday morning.
“It was a sense of thank you as well as a reconfirmation of our collaborated efforts for the safety of the country,” Yusuf Badat, director of religious affairs for the Islamic Foundation of Toronto, told the CBC’s Matt Galloway on Metro Morning.
The RCMP did confirm an imam gave them information that led to the arrests, although “not too many details were shared. They did say a prominent community leader has come forward.”
Badat didn’t know which imam tipped off police.
Is there surveillance in Canada’s Muslim communities in general and had there been specifically of the two men arrested?
Yes, said Badat, there is “informed surveillance” but he didn’t know of any surveillance of the two suspects.
Within a religious community, imams have kept an eye out for radicalization, Badat said.
“We would not hesitate at all in informing the agencies to do their part. As Canadians, we share the concerns. We are equally affected by any terrorism threats.”
Since the terrorist attack on the United States on Sept. 11, 2001, he said, “the community has been co-operating with the RCMP in the best interests of the country.”
How has that played out?
“Many times we have been at the RCMP facilities and the government agencies for input, for sensitivity training,” said Badat. In turn, Mounties are invited visit mosques and community centres so Muslims in Canada “get a sense of how we can communicate and how we can contribute in the best interests of the country.”
Badat said he wasn’t too concerned about a backlash against Muslims because of these arrests because he was confident Canadians “are a great people” and can distinguish the many non-radicals from the few radicals.
The role of imams, he said, is to “motivate our congregations that we are not to be blamed but we have to do our part.
“Terrorists generally isolate themselves and are learning and being inspired by jihadi videos on the Internet. Terrorism and these crimes don’t really have a religion.”