"A Major Concern"

"This [Syria a training ground for foreign-born jihadis] may enhance their ability to attack neighbouring countries or Western interests."
"These al-Qaeda members also train other extremists for possible operations in Western countries."
"They may return to Canada or other countries imbued with knowledge, skills and experience gained in terrorist operations and training camps."
"It is possible some returnees could plan and carry out terrorist attacks in Canada."
Public Safety Canada report

Members of Liwa (brigade) Hamzah, a newly formed Islamist brigade from the Syrian eastern city of Deir Ezzor, hold flags of Jebhat al-Nusra as they take part in a rally in the centre of the city.

This report can join all the others that have been placed in the public spotlight of late, emanating from other Canadian intelligence groups, all warning of the potential for violent jihadi attacks courtesy of fanatic Islamism that has courted and found willing hyphenated-Canadians whose religion is Islam and who have found their country of haven lacking in excitement in comparison to those they covertly travel to, to take advantage of jihad-training camps.

Al-Qaeda members have been most helpful to Jabhat al-Nustra, Ahra al-Sham and the Islamic State group. Highlighting a consequence of the long-toothed civil war in Syria with its sectarian overtones and deadly carnage including its inexorable spread to Iraq; the region had shunted aside Afghanistan and Pakistan vying for the world's most violent fanatical terrorists on the international stage.

Wherever conflict in the Islamic world erupts, there fervent converts and the passionate faithful congregate to learn the fine arts of atrocities.

Afghanistan and Pakistan have bled their al-Qaeda presence into Syria, and are there training what the West politely names as 'extremists' into the cult of martyrdom and barbarism. It has become a "major concern", the report tabled on Friday states, that Syria now represents a welcome mat and training ground for terrorists. This report, titled the 2014 Public Report on the Terrorist Threat to Canada was released just as the United Kingdom raised its threat level from Substantial to Severe.

"Developments in Syria and Iraq where terrorist groups are planning attacks against the West", inspired the UK government to declare that level of emergency awareness. Canada's report cited the knowledge of roughly 130 "individuals with Canadian connections" seeking to validate their purpose in life by aligning themselves with the terrorist groups that an otherwise appalled world looks on with horror as they outdo one another in the stark barbarity of their odious actions, treating human life as expendable dross.

A New York-based intelligence firm, the Soufan Group, estimated months earlier that at least 12,000 foreign fighters from 81 countries have congregated in Syria to do battle the jihadi way. That number includes around three thousand European citizens. Like Canada, the U.K. and other European countries are struggling to come up with a strategy how they may deal with the hundreds of hardline "foreign fighters" joining the Syrian conflict.

"What we are facing in Iraq now with (Islamic State) is a greater threat to our security than we have seen before", said Prime Minister David Cameron. "We could be facing a terrorist state on the shores of the Mediterranean and bordering a NATO member (Turkey)." Australia has taken the step of deploying counter-terrorism units at two airports, and has pledged to spend $65-million to prevent Australian youth from radicalizing.

Documents on a laptop belonging to a Tunisian man who joined Islamic State in northern Syria were found to contain instructions demonstrating the creation and use of biological weapons.

The RCMP has developed a program of "targeted interventions", to use with 'youths' being drawn into violent extremism. A program that would mobilize community resources and local police when someone is identified as becoming involved in such activity, while not yet having broken any laws. Frontline officers in the RCMP have been trained to identify the indicators of violent extremism with a team set up to track them before and after they travel overseas.

"Despite these successes terrorism continues to pose a threat to Canadians, Canadian interests, and our nation as a whole", warned Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney, speaking of the progress government has made to date in dealing with the threat of terrorism.