Jamaat ul-Fuqra in Canada

I recently received an email from Canadian Conservative blogger, The Canadian Sentinel, who expressed a real interest in finding out more about Jamaat ul-Fuqra's presence in Canada. He has already jumped on the gun and has a post about a reported compound in Combermere, Ontario. (Click here). I've seen a mention of that location before, but have no further details at this point. I do believe that Muslims of the Americas has a "da'wah center" in Toronto as well.

I did think it might be useful, however, to post some excerpts from two or three sources I have found from Canada that indicate the Canadian government has been aware of this group's existence for some time. The excerpts are brief, but I thought the sources of the information themselves should help convince Canadians that they, toom, should be concerned about this group.

Excerpt from Backgrounder No. 8: Counter-Terrorism (Revised August 2002; Canadian Security Intelligence Service):

Canada continues to be affected by the spillover of violence from conflicts abroad. Some examples follow:

In 1991, members of a religious sect based in Pakistan, Jammat ul Fuqra, were arrested attempting to enter Canada from the United States. They were subsequently convicted of conspiracy to bomb a Hindu temple, movie theatre and East Indian restaurant in Toronto.

Exerpt from article, "Canada could be next as terrorists target U.S. allies and assets says report" (Canadian Press, 11-21-03; linked by the Canadian Intelligence Resource Centre):

Attacks like the bombing of the British consulate in Istanbul on Thursday could take place in Canada as terrorists target coalition partners in the war on Iraq, an RCMP intelligence report suggests.

The newly released assessment of extremist threats warns that although Canada is not a member of the U.S.-led coalition in Iraq, terrorists might strike at participants with assets on Canadian soil - an obvious reference to embassies and consulates. The war in Iraq is "likely to result in retaliatory terrorist attacks against the coalition countries and their interests," the RCMP report says. "Coalition interests in Canada could (therefore) be at risk of attack."

A copy of the April report, Strategic Assessment of the Nature and Extent of Criminal Extremism / Terrorism in Canada, was obtained Thursday by The Canadian Press under the Access to Information Act.

The document examines the terrorist organizations and other extremists that most preoccupied the Mounties in 2002, particularly Osama bin Laden's al-Qaida network, the Tamil Tigers of Sri Lanka, the Algerian Armed Islamic Group, militant Muslim sect Jamaat ul Fuqra, and Lebanese group Hezbollah, which aims to destroy Israel and liberate all Palestinian territories.

Exerpt from occasional paper, "Other People’s Wars: A Review of Overseas Terrorism in Canada" (PDF; Mackenzie Institute, June 2003, Ch. 2, pg. 36):

Other Islamic Fundamentalist Oriented Groups

Hamas: An Islamic Fundamentalist group, it (like Palestinian Islamic Jihad) often seeks to undermine the Palestinian Authority as much as it can by competing with it for prestige by attacking Israeli targets, undermining progress – when such occurs – in the peace process, and challenging the PLO by creating rival institutions. The group has a presence in Canada and is banned here.

Hizbollah (aka Islamic Jihad, Revolutionary Justice Organization, Organization of the Oppressed on Earth, Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine, etc): A radical Shi’ite group based in southern Lebanon, it has made numerous attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets throughout the world, and is present inside the US. It is supported at times by Iran, but increasingly became involved in criminal enterprises. It has an active presence in Canada – where it was finally banned in January 2003.

Jamaat ul Fuqra: An amalgam of Pakistani backing and Black Muslim militants from the Caribbean and US, they are united in a hatred for Hindus, and have staged numerous attacks on Indian communities throughout the world. They have a presence in Canada, and they attempted some attacks here in the early 1990s.

The Mackenzie Institute report is some 140 pages and looks like a useful resource for information on additional threats that face Canada. Might be worth a closer look.

As you can see, JUF is listed right alongside other more well-known terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hizbollah. Their seeming lack of recent activity should not be taken for granted.

[UPDATE]: The Canadian Sentinel has a great follow-up post calling on his fellow Canadians to be vigilant in this war and to join the ranks of watchers and patriots. He ends with this -

Those who selflessly, honorably gave their own lives and those who valorously risked their own in wars past did not do so for Canadians to forget. They did not defend country, freedom and democracy so Canadians could eventually succumb to the forces of evil in the world someday in the future. Honor the brave Canadian patriots, past and present.

Stand on guard for thee!

-The Canadian Sentinel, February 22, 2006