Universal Absolutes in Law

Criminally maladjusted people exist everywhere, among all communities, irrespective of whether or not they claim to be religious and are respected members of their society. There are predators everywhere, human monsters who have their pathological desires that must be fulfilled at a dreadful cost to society.

At least this man, Mohammad Masroor, though he hunted in a wide international arc, did not, as far as is currently known, murder anyone. Word will come in from France, Germany, his native Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the United States, as well as elsewhere in Canada, where he acted as an itinerant cleric, teaching the byways and pathways of the Koran to young boys.

The full extent of his lifetime of preying on children and sexually abusing them will be revealed eventually. He was apprehended and placed under arrest while in Canada, for it was in Canada that some of his victims came forward to implicate him in behaviour unbecoming to a religious, much less one to whom the care of children was entrusted.

There are five victims, both male and female, who have come forward with claims against this man. More will likely surface. "Mohammad Masroor was a leader in the community, he was in a position of trust. Because he was in a position of power, we believe there are other victims", explained Detective Constable Karen Armstrong, in Toronto.

For Toronto was where Mr. Masroor taught Koranic studies to students at the Baitul Mukarram Islamic Society mosque in the east end of the city. Community members are in shock and disbelief that someone who presented as a pious member of their society could possibly be held on suspicion of abusing children.

"I don't believe it. I know he's a good guy. His character is good all the time", said Mohammad Abdul Halim, a mosque member. Who may yet be encouraged to the reality, post-trial, that Mr. Masroor was not of good character all of the time. And the mosque imam, Abdul Fattah Aboud, worries about the negative publicity, the distrust that will now result.

"Masroor gave sermons here on Fridays, he would lead the service and everybody in this community liked him. (Masroor) was teaching students who were seven, eight, up to 15 years old. People won't trust us anymore." Incredulity is echoed by another: "It's not like that because back home, like in Bangladesh, you're allowed to hit people. It's OK."

In Canada it's not OK. It's not all right to hit people. It's not all right to prey on people, to turn children into sexually-abused victims. Mr. Masroor, a long-time teacher of Koranic precepts and principles, will now be exposed to Canadian jurisprudence which will deny him his covert pleasures and deliver justice to his victims.

It's never too late to learn about universal values, and to respect them. And some values are simply absolute. The criminal investigation of Mr. Masroor's predatory activities began in 2008, shortly after his arrival in Canada.