Defeating Terrorism

Awad Loubani, a federal government employee with Public Works and Government Services Canada is a risks management specialist. And incidentally, and distinctly of meritorious service, chairperson of the Equity and Diversity Advisory Committee of the City of Ottawa. And member of the Ottawa Community and Police Action Committee. He speaks freely and with confidence in his personal knowledge of the threats facing Canada and Canadians from his perspective as a Canadian Muslim.

Years ago he spoke clearly in favour of moderate Muslims becoming more needfully proactive against the blight in their midst.

And now he has spoken again, in the most public of forums, a half-page opinion piece published in the Ottawa Citizen. Setting out carefully, succinctly, and with full knowledge, just how dangerous the situation is in Canada with fanatical ideologues masking themselves as devout Muslims, using Islam as a cover to gain respectability, and at the same time, delving deep into ancient Islamic precepts that have no basis for repetition in our civilized era, to further their agenda of overturning the country's democratic ideals.

By stealth, and by violent intent.

Radical Islamism has long since entered Canada; our recent awakening to the threats posed by Islamists dedicated to the ideal of violent jihad to further a globally-inspired take-over of geographies and governments and politics and social and judicial reforms in favour of a universal Sharia-led Caliphate whispers urgently at danger. Polite Canadian society, and ever-vigilant politicians, careful of the votes they may gain or lose, gingerly touch on the presence of home-grown radicals whose bitter spleen against the West's ideals spells looming danger.

Mr. Loubani itemizes the various ways in which Islamism has successfully infiltrated Canadian institutions and society at every level. The exterior pose is that of well integrated individuals and groups espousing Canadian values and equalities, taking full advantage of the guarantees that come to all citizens under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. Using those freedoms to their own purpose, then railing against the same freedoms given to others of unlike persuasion. Carefully veiling their radical ideals from public view.

While urging institutions to cast a jaundiced eye on other members of Canadian society with whom the larger world of Islam is not yet prepared to accept as equally endowed and of equal merit through their culture, their heritage, their religions. These emissaries in our midst are not the vulgar, the uneducated, the indigent whose narrow world view excuses them from morally responsible behaviour. They are well-educated, and their organizations have tentacles spread deep within society.

They seek the advantages of being able to lobby and to influence government at all three levels, they present as well-organized student groups in universities, and they have managed to dominate the religious-political-ideological discourse within mosques and community centres, influencing the thought processes of young people conflicted by loyalty to their home country, and by the demands of recruiters to violent jihad. Arguing that the world of the West, the infidel world, is at war with Islam, demonizing it, attacking it, warring with it; the (il)logical conclusion is that there is an imperative for devout Muslims to counter-attack.

Polarizing arguments resonate with immature, adventure-seeking youth vulnerable to the urgent demands of those they recognize in positions of respect. Suddenly, Muslims who never thought to consider themselves different from the mainstream of society, view it a requirement of their faith to encourage girls and women to cover their heads as modest Muslimah. At university clubs it becomes romantic to pose as radicals, as defenders of the Faith, as critics of Israel, as belligerents toward Jews.

Muslims who strive to live ordinary, moderate lives, content to become one with the prevailing social mores and attitudes, sharing like values, priorities and aspirations find themselves viewed with suspicion, and feel pressure to conform to the new reality of Muslims as "us" and other Canadians as "them". Distorted Koranic interpretations become dogma, to be supported and protected against the denials of those gravitating between "us" and "them"; apostates, though they claim to worship Islam.

The Saudi largesse that funds radical groups, beginning in Pakistan and radiating out to Afghanistan, Egypt, Europe and North America through madrassas dedicated to teaching the solemn correctness of Wahhabi-style Islam cannot continue to be ignored by the country's politicians. The immigration and refugee system has been manipulated far too often, even by the infiltration of appointed refugee-board members waving through applicants clearly unsuitable to adjust to life in democratic Canada.

There are far too many expatriate Palestinians, Saudis, Pakistanis, who enter the country with a view to pursuing their challenge of the West, and particularly their dedication to slandering a religion other than Islam with the temerity to insist on statehood in a geography consecrated to Islam. Their loyalty is never to Canada and its values, although without hesitation they feel entitled to all the social services and assists available within Canada.

Awad Loubani warns the public, our politicians, our academics and health professionals that the agenda is to infiltrate, influence, and turn values slowly in favour of those recognized by Islam. We have been warned. By the arrests of jihadis within our midst who do not hesitate to plan violence against the country, against its institutions and its governments, let alone innocent citizens. And when, year over year, those arrests take place and we follow court proceedings, we are shocked and anguished.

What is our final reaction? Worried, concerned diffidence. Not for the ordinary citizen to be alert and weed out the vipers within. This is a matter for our security and intelligence agencies, our police at every level. And then the call to action comes from those few within the Muslim community who are rightfully alarmed and seek to mobilize their fellow Muslims. They too are largely indifferent, but no strangers to cries of victimhood.

The dread pathology of fanatical Islamist jihad infests Islam, and victimizes both Muslims and the global, non-Muslim community. This is not an example of Islamophobia. Global jihad is no fiction, it is a stark reality, exemplified by the ongoing violence being exacted on hapless victims throughout the world. Islamophobia is the fiction.