The BC Muslim Assocaition fully supports the views expressed by Mrs. Wahida Valiante – President, Canadian Islamic Congress on the subject of AL-SHEBAB TERRORIST RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN as per the following article.
THE CANADIAN ISLAMIC CONGRESS -- MEDIA COMMUNIQUÉ
November 1, 2011
For immediate release
ISLAMIC CONGRESS DENOUNCES “POISONOUS IDEOLOGY” OF AL-SHEBAB TERRORIST RECRUITMENT CAMPAIGN
The Canadian Islamic Congress has joined a growing number of Muslim organizations in forcefully condemning the radicalization campaign of an Al-Qaeda linked terrorist group being directed at Western Muslim youth.
In response to a recording released Sunday and claimed by Somalia-based Al-Shabab to be the voice of an American suicide bomber who blew up himself and 10 others in Mogadishu over the weekend, CIC national president Wahida Valiante said, “We emphatically reject and condemn Al-Shabab’s perversion of our faith for the purposes of inciting violence and exploiting the vulnerability of young people.”
Mrs. Valiante, a longtime family therapist and counsellor, frequently speaks and writes about the pressures and challenges faced by youth growing up within minority groups in the West. She added that “these young people are often under-employed, economically disadvantaged and socially marginalized; and if not supported positively within society, can become easy targets for the poisonous ideologies of both home-grown and overseas terrorist recruiters.”
She stressed that the Qur’an categorically forbids killing and does not, as Al-Shabab implies, endorse the murder of non-Muslims, “nor does it use the term jihad to describe any form of killing war against fellow human beings.”
CIC urges all organizations that interact with Muslim youth to be vigilant against such indoctrination and to encourage education, along with peace and justice initiatives, as the only effective deterrent to radicalization attempts by groups like Al-Shabab.
CONTACTS:
Mrs. Wahida Valiante – President, Canadian Islamic Congress
Cell: (647) 802-8024
Dr. Amin Elshorbagy – Vice-President, Canadian Islamic Congress
Cell: (306) 241-6757
Mr. Musa Ismail - President, BC Muslim Association