Radicalization concerns mount over Israel-Hamas war | CityNews Calgary
An Alberta lady whose son was killed whereas combating with Islamic extremists in Syria is anxious anger over the battle between Israel and Hamas might result in a rise in radicalization.
Chris Boudreau says she expects extremist teams are going to grab on the battle.
“That’s what they use to engage — the anger, that burning desire on the inside,” she mentioned in a latest interview with The Canadian Press.
“Helplessness is a powerful thing. Fear is a powerful thing. And unfortunately, as human beings, emotions tend to prevail over logic.”
Boudreau’s son, 22-year-old Damian Clairmont, transformed to Islam as a teen and died in heavy combating within the metropolis of Aleppo in 2014 as a member of the Islamic State militant group.
Boudreau, who now lives in France, has spoken out for years in regards to the risks of youth changing into remoted and radicalized.
“I think about him every day. It doesn’t go away. He was very intelligent and empathetic and felt other people’s pain and his biggest frustration was the political system itself,” she mentioned.
“That’s what started it.”
Boudreau mentioned she worries rising anger makes younger individuals extra weak.
“It’s a free-for-all right now. If you look at the weakened state of everybody mentally, the resilience is not there and people are really struggling. So, it’s a gold mine,” she mentioned.
“You can pick and choose (new recruits) right now because it’s so easy to get people fired up and fuelled up and joining your cause.”
Anger affordable, however response troublesome to find out: knowledgeable
On Oct. 7, Hamas and different militants launched a shock assault in southern Israel that left about 1,200 individuals, largely civilians, lifeless. Some 240 males, ladies and kids had been taken hostage.
Israel launched a swift and sustained retaliatory battle within the Gaza Strip. The Health Ministry within the Hamas-run territory mentioned as of Friday the loss of life toll had surpassed 17,000, with greater than 46,000 wounded. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, however mentioned 70 per cent had been ladies and kids.
Amarnath Amarasingam, an assistant professor in faith and political research at Queen’s University in Ontario, mentioned anger is a authentic response to what’s occurring and it’s troublesome to find out the right way to reply.
“I think this conflict in particular has a bizarre ability to short-circuit people’s usual commitment to human rights,” mentioned Amarasingam, who has researched terrorism, radicalization and extremism.
“Hardliners on both sides tend to waffle, hedge and discount what ‘their side’ is doing in a way I’ve never seen them do with other conflicts.”
He mentioned there’s been an uptick in hate speech and hate crimes on either side.
“The Palestinian cause has always been a key component of the many grievances that jihadist groups discuss in their propaganda,” he mentioned.
“That part hasn’t changed. But there’s definitely an increase in the propaganda output by groups like ISIS and (al-Qaida) to try and use the most recent conflict to recruit.”
Advocates work fight radicalization
Imam Syed Soharwardy, founding father of Muslims Against Terrorism and the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, has been counselling Muslim youth for years with a view to fight radicalization.
He mentioned the present state of affairs is totally different than when the Islamic State group was making an attempt to lure disenfranchised youth a number of years in the past.
Soharwardy mentioned he has spent the previous few weeks telling younger individuals to not observe the trail of violence and to specific themselves in optimistic methods, similar to writing letters to newspapers and contacting politicians.
“It is very hard to satisfy them that you need to control yourself. They listen to me, but I can read their faces that they are not satisfied with my answers,” Soharwardy mentioned.
“I have never seen our youth so angry this time, even after 9/11. It is worse than what ISIS used to do with the brainwashing. At least with ISIS, they knew that these people were a bunch of thugs.”
Soharwardy condemns the Hamas assault however mentioned he’s upset western and European leaders haven’t criticized Israel’s response strongly sufficient. He mentioned anger from the youthful era can be directed at Muslim governments.
“Our Muslim youth are more angry at Muslim governments than the western governments. Even this time, Iran did not support Hamas as openly as they used to do. Pakistan did not speak at all? and that is a very dangerous thing.”
Soharwardy mentioned Canada-wide protests have been peaceable for probably the most half they usually enable those that are indignant to have an outlet.
“If they stop these rallies, it’s going to put everything under the table or under the ground, which is very, very dangerous. This is very important they should blow off steam in this peaceful way.”
