Death By Islamist Ideology

"What can I say? We wee all sad. But we didn't have time to mourn him, because we were so busy surviving ... We were told right away, 'You're next!'."               "They had guards watching us all the time, keeping us awake on purpose, just to break us down physically and mentally."                                                              "The weaker we become, the more they laugh. They think it's funny like hell."  "John [Ridsdel] and me ... we became like soulmates. We were thinking about -- planning is not the right word -- maybe dreaming, what we were going to do when we got out of there."                                                                                            Kjartan Sekkingstad, Norwegian, permanent resident of Canada

"His [Abu Sayyaf terror suspect Anduljihad Susukan] giving himself up to Mr. Misuari [Muslim rebel leader Nur Misuari] is not the surrender contemplated under the law and does not make him immune from arrest."                                    Maj.Gen.Edgard Arevalo Philippine military commander

Abduljihad Susukan, linked to the beheadings of hostages including two Canadians in the Philippines, surrendered on Friday, officials say. (Davos City Police)

Like the Islamic State's propensity to publicize the atrocities they committed on their victims by video taping sophisticated theatricals of horror leading up to the beheading of the 'infidels' they captured, the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group, aligned with ISIL in the Philippines took the same apparent pleasure in terrorizing, tormenting and ultimately beheading those they took prisoner for ransom. In September of 2015, two Canadians along with a Norwegian with Canadian connections and a Filipino woman were abducted from a marina operated by the Norwegian in Davao.

Canadians Robert Hall, centre, and John Ridsdel, right, were taken hostage by Filipino militants in 2015. (Site Intelligence)

The terror group demanded a hefty ransom for the lives of John Ridsdel of Calgary along with fellow Canadian Robert Hall. It wasn't the first time Canadians were captured as they went about their business. There was a precedent to the Philippines' event, when Robert Fowler, a Canadian diplomat on assignment with the United Nations and his colleague Louis Guay were captured by al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) in 2008, held hostage in the Sahara Desert for 130 days. On their release, facilitated by the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper, Mr. Fowler stated: "I owe a debt to Mr. Harper ..."

He also made a statement regarding the Liberal Party of Canada in March of 2010: "I believe the Liberal party has, to a significant extent, lost its way, at least in policy terms, and of course I mean, in particular, my area of foreign policy terms, and is in danger of losing its soul...To this observer, it seems that Liberals today don't stand for much in the way of principles...I have the impression that they will endorse anything and everything which might return them to power and nothing which won't, whatever the merits of either. It's all about getting to power, and it shows...I believe Liberals seem prepared to embrace an infinite array of special interests in order to shill for votes rather than forging a broad-based principled alliance founded in deep Liberal traditions, one with a distinct social contract and an independent  Canadian character, which would protect, project and defend core Liberal values at home and abroad..."

This was before the Liberals were returned to power in 2015, but it was a statement recognizing the Liberal hunger for power, determined to reassert their entitled place in Canada as the perpetual governing party. Robert Hall, 66 and John Ridsdel, 68, were out of luck when Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took Stephen Harper's place. For he announced that Canada would not sully itself by negotiating with terrorists, paying ransom to release two Canadians. That 2010 statement was prescient; five years later, the government of Canada stood firm on 'principles' and left two Canadians to die horribly.

Spavor, Kovrig, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Manuel Balce REUTERS

In 2020 there is another episode with another two Canadians, this time abducted by the Chinese Communist Party, charged with a nebulous, evidence-lacking crime of 'espionage' against China: one, business man, Michael Spavor, the other a diplomat-on-leave, Michael Kovrig, both left to fend for themselves, trapped by circumstances whereby the CFO of Chinese technology giant Huawei being held in British Columbia on an extradition warrant issued by the United States has made them vulnerable to Chinese-style prisoner-chess. And there they languish, imprisoned, since December 2018, awaiting rescue from their nightmare, while the Liberal government continues to play footsie with Beijing.

The three men, Ridsdel, Hall and Sekkingstad, along with Hall's companion Marites Flor were abducted in Septmeber 2014 from the Davao Holiday Oceanview Marina on Samal Island. Ridsdell was executed in April, and Robert Hall was beheaded in June, but before that happened the terrorists teased him, telling him he was heading back to Canada. Then they placed handcuffs on him, allowed him to hug Flor, and led him to the place where the decapitation took place.

Susukan had been involved in a conflict with another Islamist group where he sustained a wound, losing an arm. He surrendered to the rebel leader Nur Misuari of the Moro National Liberation Front which signed a tentative peace agreement with the government back in the mid-1990s. Misuari then flew to Davao with Susukan where he was handed over to the government of President Rodrigo Duterte to face justice for the murder of the two Canadian men and stand trial in kidnappings and executions on the island of Borneo.

Another Abu Sayyaf terrorist implicated in the murder of Robert Hall and John Ridsdel has yet to be brought to justice. As another Abu Sayyaf commander involved in the deaths of the two Canadians, Moammar Askai had died in a battle on the island of Bohoi, killed by Philippines troops. Eventually after the two Canadians were executed Flor was given her freedom in June of 2015. A few months later, Kjartan Sekkingstad was also released; Norway had secured his freedom.

Philippine police escort funeral parlour employees carrying the body of one of two suspected Abu Sayyaf militants killed by authorities during a failed kidnapping in Bohol, central Philippines, May 2017. AP

Guilty of Being Canadian ... Incarcerated in China

Huseyn Celil, Uighur activist, Cdn citizen

"It's been really tough for us. I always say, 'I wish he would come back and see you guys [their children], how much you've grown'."

"They are becoming adults and they haven't seen their dad since they were little [14 years earlier]."

"I was hoping for more from the Liberal government, but Trudeau hasn't done anything."

Kamila Talendibaeva, Canadian Uighur, Toronto

"After those Canadians [Michael Spavor and Michael Kovrig] got arrested ... it was like nothing happened, business as usual with the Chinese government."

"That basically gave them a signal, a message: 'It's OK to arrest a Canadian citizen. There's no consequences."

"There's a green light." 

"She [Sun Qian] is almost forgotten in a very dark, cruel place."

Grace Wollensack, Falun Gong Canadian spokeswoman

Sun Qian, a Canadian citizen and Falun Gong practitioner. Supplied

Canadian citizen Sun Qian was forced before a Chinese court on Tuesday, sentenced to eight years in prison; her crime: following the Falun Gong movement, banned in China. Accused and first arrested in 2017 as being involved in "heretical religious organizations" which threatened to disrupt the law, her lawyer Xie Yanyi, attempted repeatedly to secure a meeting on his client's behalf with John McCallum, then the Canadian ambassador to China, but was unsuccessful.

Unsurprising, that Ambassador McCallum was disinterested in becoming 'involved' as is the duty of a diplomat in a foreign country, representing the interests of his own country and that of its citizens, instead reflecting the commercial-trade interests of the Liberal government -- any Canadian Liberal government -- intent on securing inroads into doing more business with China, securing trade agreements, ingratiating themselves with the Chinese Communist Party in Beijing.

Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien infamously made a great show of hauling along Canadian business executives on his many and lavish trade trips to China while in public office, paving the way for the future when, no longer prime minister, he took advantage of all the Chinese business contacts he had made, to guide Canadian business leaders into the huge market to exploit trade and investment opportunities as a consultant for a large and influential Canadian law firm.

His successor, Justin Trudeau, is no less invested in the same mission, after a Conservative government intermission led by Prime Minister Stephen Harper who, citing human rights abuses, was loathe to move Canada into the CCP-Beijing orbit and was roundly criticized and belittled by Liberal party leaders as a result. Notoriously, behind-the-scenes diplomatic overtures for the release of Canadians from Chinese prisons have failed.

Ms.Sun, a Canadian citizen since 2007, spent time both in Vancouver and Beijing, where she and her husband were owners of a biochemical company. On her original arrest she was forced to wear arm and leg shackles for prolonged periods of time; was repeatedly pepper-sprayed and subjected to anti-Falun Gong brainwashing. She now has been punished further with an additional eight years in prison, a situation her lawyer links to pressure Beijing is applying to Canada for the release of Huawei CFO Meng Wanzhou, held in Canada on a U.S. extradition request.

Kamila Talendibaeva's husband Huseyn Celil has spent 14 years in prison, not permitted any contact whatever with his Canadian family, though he too holds Canadian citizenship. His relatives in China were able to visit with him every six months, relaying information about him back to his wife and children, living in Toronto. Until they too disappeared, vanished into a Chinese prison for Falun Gong crimes against China.

FreeChina.net  Wang Bing-Zhang

Wang Bing-Zhang, 72, imprisoned in China as a pro-democracy activist whose wife, children and parents are all Canadian citizens has not seen his family in 17 years. His daughter Ti-Anna Wang, a Toronto lawyer, has admitted that the family's appeals to the Canadian government appear to have fallen on deaf ears: "We have 17, 18 years now of experience and we know what doesn't work", she stated. 

According to Cherie Wong of Alliance Canada Hong Kong, 123 Canadians are being detained in China, in a country that harshly punishes dissenters as 'terrorists' plotting against the unity of the country. Celil's family had been visiting his wife's relatives in Uzbekistan in 2006 when he was arrested and handed over to China where he was convicted of terrorist activities, with no 'evidence' ever being presented to support the charge. 

As for Mr. Wang, he co-founded the overseas Chinese democracy movement, was captured in Vietnam in 2002 by Chinese secret police who spirited him across the border where he was convicted at a one-day closed trial of spying, and terrorism; no evidence required. So much for Canada's distinguished record as a supporter of human rights, concerned for the welfare of its own citizens.

Pictures of Michael Spavor, a Canadian businessman, and Michael Kovrig, a former Canadian diplomat, both detained in China since December 2018, are displayed on a video monitor as U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks during a news conference at the State Department in Washington, U.S., July 1, 2020. Manuel Balce Ceneta/Pool via REUTERS

Appeasing China

"Is it because if you do it, [find some 'guts' and stand up to China] you will make less money? You will make enemies? So your country, your companies, will get less rich."
"They [Beijing] know your game very well."
"I hope that the prime minister [Justin Trudeau] would have some guts and a sense of dignity and courage."
"The Chinese are very afraid that it [the possibility of sanctions and trade penalties] may become an infectious disease and spread around the world, and I hope it does."
"They [Chinese authorities] think you're fools."
Emily Lau, chair, foreign affairs committee, Hong Kong Democratic Party

Hong Kong pro-democracy lawmaker Emily Lau talks to a girl during a election campaign in Hong Kong. (Vincent Yu/The Associated Press)

As a guest and featured speaker at the Halifax Security Forum held this past this weekend, Emily Lau was blunt in her assessment of Canada's failure to address a number of critical foreign relations issues. Canada's timidity in criticizing China drew her cynical tongue to lash out at a failure in foreign policy on the part of a government and its leader who espouse human rights and the democratic ideal, but have failed abysmally in a critical test of living up to its 'progressive' values.

She and other Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to emulate American lawmakers in Congress in holding Beijing to account for its human rights abuses and its actions relating to ongoing protests in the semi-autonomous region of Hong Kong. In the audience where she spoke, an assemblage of conference attendees representing defence, security and diplomatic officials along with academics were present, some strongly in favour of her scornful take of a lapse in Canadian diplomatic action, others somewhat less so.

Canadian Minister of Defence Harjit Singh Sajjan was present at the event, and it was his contention that China was not an adversary of Canada. Canada remained prepared to move toward a new trade deal with China. Expecting in the process that China would follow 'the rules'. Knowing full well that China makes the rules, with no intention of following either universal rules or those that other nations wishing to trade with China might propose. And China, given the current situation, would consider moving forward on a free trade agreement with Canada only if Canada moves toward propitiating China's bruised feelings.

That could be done to China's satisfaction with a profuse apology and the immediate release from pending extradition on a signed treaty with the United States, of Huawei Technology's chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou. China might then relent and release from brutal incarceration two Canadians, a businessman and a former diplomat charged with espionage, and release from death row another two Canadians held to be drug smugglers. And only then, with a compliant, apologetic Canada, might China deign to move forward on trade.

Thousands of Hong Kong demonstrators have been injured, some in serious medical condition, as a result of police deploying increasingly aggressive adversarial techniques with the intention to destroy the mass demonstrations and release Hong Kong from its paralysis. The weekend Hong Kong election that gave pro-democracy candidates in Hong Kong a majority lift is barely acknowledged by Beijing. Thousands of Hong Kong protesters have been detained, amid credible reports of beatings and torture by security officials.

Police in riot gear move through a cloud of smoke as they detain a protester at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University in Hong Kong on Monday, Nov. 18. (Ng Han Guan/The Associated Press)

Ms.Lau and her colleague Figo Chan were present at the conference, representing the people of Hong Kong upon whom the John McCain Prize for Leadership in Public Service was to be presented. Figo Chan explained of Hong Kongers and their insistence on their autonomous status to be enhanced, not diminished, as is evidently the plan of the Chinese Communist Party. "It is a sleeping tiger. And it's woken up", he stated with the conviction of someone who has gone through the gruelling process of protest, been detained and beaten for his troubles.

Ms. Lau had been on the Hong Kong Legislative Council for two decades, serving as chair of the Democratic Party. Before the forum on the weekend, the U.S.Congress passed the Hong Kong Democracy and Human Rights Act close to unanimously with bi-partisan support. China would be penalized under the bill, should it undertake to limit the independent economic status of Hong Kong. Chinese officials found to be responsible for human rights violations would be sanctioned under the Magnitsky Act that both the U.S. and Canada have adopted.

Canada issued a meek diplomatic recognition wen the democratic camp scored high in the local Hong Kong elections. No congratulations; that would be too bold a step, infuriating Beijing. Rather, an anodyne declaration was issued: "Canada is pleased that the District Council elections in Hong Kong proceeded peacefully." Canada faces yet another dilemma with China; whether it should allow Huawei to build a portion of its 5G telecommunications infrastructure, with the certain knowledge that to do so would leave Canada out of the Five Eyes group of New Zealand, Britain, Australia, the U.S. -- and Canada for shared Intelligence purposes.

Beijing has warned Ottawa on more than one occasion, the latest being through its newly-accredited Chinese Ambassador to Canada, Cong Peiwu, that China would not look kindly on Huawei not being invited to work on Canada's telecommunications upgrade in fear that the telecommunications giant, closely aligned with the Chinese government, would have the opportunity to indulge in cyber-espionage.

China, Helping Canada See the Error of its Ways ....

"I had never even thought of China [back in 1979 when Beijing began opening up to its version of democracy-plus-free-enterprise]. It was not on my radar at all, but this sounded really interesting."
"So, my husband and I went over to China [to travel in China, which led to a master's degree in international relations with a Chinese focus]."
"When I came home [40 years later], I decided to speak out. Up until January [of 2019], I had never done an interview in my life. But I feel it's important that friends of China -- former friends of China -- speak out about this [Beijing's increasingly authoritarian streak]."
"I'm not feeling very friendly toward China, if you can tell."
Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, former vice-president, Canada-China Friendship Association

"We are rolling over, we are acquiescing, at a time when Chinese aggression is on the rise. We should be working with like-minded allies to send a real signal that such conduct is not condoned."
"[If keeping quiet and friendly were going to work with China, Spavor and Kovrig] would have been released months ago."
Erin O'Toole, Parliamentary opposition, foreign affairs critic

"[Beijing] is good at co-opting former government officials and politicians by offering them seats on boards and contracts."
"Obviously, then it becomes very difficult for you to become critical of China."
Guy Saint-Jacques, former Canadian ambassador to China


"There's nothing like back door devices being installed by Huawei. So that's a groundless accusation."
"So we do hope that the Canadian side will provide a fair, just and a non-discriminatory business environment for Chinese companies, including Huawei."
"We do hope that the Canadian side will reflect on what has happened and take concrete measures to push our relationship back to the normal track. So that's the task for the government."
"And we do hope that those important people in the new [Liberal] cabinet will play an active role in making sure that relations of our two countries return to their normal track on the basis of mutual respect and equality."
Ambassador of the People's Republic of China to Canada Cong Peiwu

Cong Peiwu spoke to reporters at China's Embassy in Ottawa  CBC

"When they get Huawei into Canada ... they're going to know every health record, every banking record, every social media post -- they're going to know everything about every single Canadian."
"What the Chinese are doing makes Facebook and Google look like child's play, as far as collecting information on folks. The Huawei Trojan horse is frightening, it's terrifying."
"I find it amazing that our allies and friends in other liberal democracies would allow Huawei in ... I'm surprised that there's even a debate out there."
"[Such an intrusion would impact on Canada's participation in the Five Eyes Intelligence alliance of Australia, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S.]."
Robert O'Brien, U.S. National Security Adviser

Ambassador Cong, in delivering Beijing's message to Ottawa, is using coded language when he urges the Liberal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to 'return to their normal track', and to 'take concrete measures to push our relationship back to the normal track'. He has outlined the 'task for the government' of Canada. There is nothing necessarily that Beijing must do to restore relations between the two nations, for it has done nothing untoward. It was Canada's concurrence through its extradition treaty with its southern neighbour that launched the unfortunate decision to comply with the U.S. by assaulting China.

For in arresting Huawei Technology's CFO Meng Wenzhou at the behest of the U.S. State Department, this is what Beijing has accused Canada of -- criminal malfeasance, defying international law. Whereas China's response to the insult bestowed upon one of its citizens by summarily arresting two Canadians in China for business purposes and accusing them of plotting against China -- charging them with espionage, incarcerating them under harsh conditions while Ms. Meng, out on bail, lives in one of her luxury mansions in Vancouver -- has been mindful of and obedient to the rule of law.

Beijing knows with whom it is dealing. While former Liberal Prime Minister Jean Chretien was in office he led numerous elaborate 'trade missions' to China from Canada, familiarizing himself with useful Chinese officials whom he called upon once he left office to become a private citizen and continued to lead trade missions to China, the prestige of a former prime minister opening doors, and with his insider status intact. When former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper's policy was to regard trade with China as second to its human rights abuses, Mr. Chretien poured scorn upon him; nothing should impede unrestrained trade alliances with China.

This Liberal government under Justin Trudeau has tread softly around China's outrageous response to the U.S.-Canada extradition treaty, when Beijing arrested two Canadians, imposed death sentences for drug smuggling on another two Canadians and placed punishing constraints on the importation of Canadian canola, soy, peas, pork and beef products, devastating the Canadian agricultural sector through punishing sanctions on a country that refused to come to heel and release the Huawei executive.

Michael Spavor, left, former Canadian diplomat Michael Kovrig, right (Canadian Press)

Margaret McCuaig-Johnston had dedicated her working life to enhancing relations between Canada and China, collaborating to advance the relationship between the two countries. She aided China in its science and technology development during its period of reform, as a Canadian civil servant, while considering herself a staunch "friend of China". And then, after forty years of work in that realm the arrest of Meng Wanzhou, followed by the incarceration of Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, she discovered her locked luggage had been unlocked and rifled through in her Shanghai hotel room.

Soon a local business acquaintance informed her of a list of 100 Canadians that Chinese authorities had compiled representing those who could be detained and interrogated, among the hundreds of thousands of Canadians who live and work in China; Hong Kong alone has 300,000 people with Canadian citizenship. In other words, Canadians living in Hong Kong are also under scrutiny and their security is of concern as well, particularly given the violent turn of the protests in the partially autonomous city.

And China has warned Canada, through the stern advice of its latest ambassador that it would not be in Canada's interests to 'interfere' in China's internal affairs.

A protester is detained by riot police while attempting to leave the campus of Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) during clashes with police in Hong Kong, China November 18, 2019. (Thomas Peter/Reuters)

The current Liberal government in Canada takes advice from its past prime minister on such issues; and no doubt the advice was not to further ruffle any feathers, to sit back and let events take their course. Naturally, the imprisoned Canadians, despite the harsh conditions they are suffering, would staunchly opt to sit back and suffer their circumstances, in support of their government's position, for no sacrifice is too great to protect Canadian trade with China.

Some 140 and more signatories in the academic and diplomatic global community demanded through a joint letter that China release Kovrig and Spavor. A mere 6 Canadian academics and six former Canadian ambassadors to China signed.

It has been observed that more than a few advisers to the Liberal government have what they consider to be valued and hard-won ties and interests in China. The new ambassador to Beijing, Dominic Barton, among them. Many Canadian academics, politicians and business leaders have compromised positions finding it difficult to criticize China, for to do so would be to risk the status they have won and cherish for the opportunities and funding that status guarantees them.