National Muslim group condemns latest Islamic State threat

By Peter Edwards | Toronto Star
December 8, 2014

A leading national Muslim group has categorically denounced the latest call for violence against Canada and other nations by the terror group that calls itself Islamic State (ISIS).

“We condemn the depraved violence and extremism by this and other terror groups,” Ihsaan Gardee, executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said on Monday.

“It is both a civic and religious duty to contact the authorities if one has any information about plans to hurt or harm anyone,” Gardee said.

The Council’s comments come on the heels of reports that John Maguire of Ottawa, who now calls himself “Abu Anwar al-Canadi” and “Yaha,” has posted a propaganda video online.

His video calls for terror attacks in Canada in response to Canada’s participation in a coalition against ISIS.

“Canadian Muslims continue to unequivocally denounce and reject these abhorrent and un-Islamic threats by ISIS against our nation and fellow citizens,” Gardee said in a prepared statement.

“We emphasize the sacredness of life and repudiate any express statements or tacit insinuation that anyone should harm innocent people.

“Our message to anyone who espouses, endorses, or in any way supports this ideology of violence, is that your actions have nothing to do with he authentic teachings of Islam,” Gardee said.

“The attempt to justify attacks against innocent people is deeply misguided and unsupported by Islamic principles,” Imam Sikander Hashmi, a spokesperson for the Canadian Council of Imams, said.

Hashmi, who is also a spokesperson for the Council of Imams of Ottawa-Gatineau, added that “the overwhelming majority of Islamic scholars and leaders … are united in their opposition to ISIS and its vicious ideology.”

“We will continue to condemn radicalization towards extremist violence while offering sound and authentic Islamic knowledge to Canadian Muslims,” Hashmi added.