Posted on 06/04/2006 3:22:17 PM PDT by West Coast Conservative
Vandals smashed 30 windows of a Toronto mosque and damaged nearby cars after the arrest of 17 suspected al Qaeda sympathizers accused of planning bomb attacks. Canadian Muslims expressed fear on Sunday that a backlash had begun.
The vandals struck overnight at the west-end mosque, a police official said on Sunday. A second official said he had no information on any link between the incident and the arrests, which began late Friday.
"The actual weapon that was used to break (the windows) is unknown," said secretary Ameer Ali of the International Muslims Organization of Toronto, which houses the mosque. "We believe it has to be a heavy instrument, possibly a sledgehammer or a pick ax, or it could even be a crowbar."
About five cars in a parking lot next to the mosque also had their windows broken, Ali said. He said the two-story mosque sees about 500 worshipers daily and the organization said the mosque is one of the largest in North America.
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair told a meeting with Islamic community leaders, "it is certainly possible that that damage was motivated by hate. Hatred in any form, and certainly in its expressions of violence and damaged property, will not be tolerated in our community."
Mohammad Alam, president of the Islamic Foundation of Toronto, said the vandalism may be the beginning of religiously motivated reprisals against the country's Muslim population, estimated at more than 600,000.
He said he backed the government's efforts to combat terrorism, but emphasized nothing had been proven in the suspected bomb plot, which has gripped the country.
"Like everybody knows, this is so far all allegation," Alam said. "To us, it doesn't matter what religion they belong to -- if they're a terrorist, they're a terrorist, they should be punished according to the law."
Tarek Fatah, spokesman for the Muslim Canadian Congress, said he felt "a mixture of shock and relief" following the arrests. "It's too close to home," he said.
The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations asked Muslims to co-operate with security agencies to fight terrorism.
The suspects, all from Ontario, remained in custody and their next court appearance is scheduled for Tuesday.
Police say the arrested men had amassed enough explosives to build a bomb larger than that used in 1995 against the federal building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, which killed 168 people, and they were planning to blow up targets in Ontario, Canada's political and economic heart.
The arrested men, all Canadian residents or citizens, were charged with terrorism-related offenses and made a brief court appearance on Saturday. The 12 adults were sent to a high-security prison outside Toronto while the five youths were dispatched to area jails.
Police do not anticipate more arrests, but "reams" of evidence still must be analyzed, said Acting Sgt. Michele Paradis of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Lawyers for some of the suspects expressed dismay at the presence of armed officers inside the court during Saturday's hearing, saying it was prejudicial to their case.
Family and supporters said the allegations were motivated by suspicion toward Muslims.
"It's going to come down to nothing, that I'm sure of," said Mohammed Abdelhaleen, whose son Shareef is among the accused. "I'm suggesting there to be no foundation, for any of them. They are playing a political game."
Police said the group had acquired three tonnes of ammonium nitrate -- triple the amount used in the Oklahoma City bombing.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service said the men had become "adherents of a violent ideology inspired by al Qaeda."
What, those were just Canadian youths expressing themselves.
"Canadian Muslims expressed fear on Sunday that a backlash had begun. "
And that is bad how?
Well, that's a damned shame. I sure hope it doesn't spread to other countries where Muslims operate with impunity and victim status bestowed by fearful governments. No sir, that would be wrong.
Abu: "For our college chemistry class...honest!"
"CTV.ca News Staff
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said the 17 suspects arrested for allegedly plotting a terrorist attack on Canadian soil were motivated by politics, not faith, and had nothing to do with the city's Muslim community.
"We have tried to make it very clear that this was not the actions of the Muslim community, it was the alleged actions ... of a small number of young men who were ideologically inspired to commit violent and criminal acts,"
Boy if I was a terrorist I would be running to Canada, my victems would do everything in thier power not to blame me....
It is all consistent with the modus operandi.
Isn't glass a western infidel invention anyway?
"It's going to come down to nothing". Yeh, that's what they said about the Buffalo Cell.
Not that I'm condoning the vandalism, but when so many Muslims laughed at 9/11 and didn't stand up against terrorism in the aftermath, well...
****
LOL ......... tough.
It should have been burned to the ground, as should all of them.
This is great news!!!
I Like the New Canada, I may have to end my boycott
Burn-baby-Burn
Quick, head back to Turdistan and take your filthy mullahs with you.
"They were motivated by politics ....... not their faith."
UNREAL!!
The utes were just checking to see if it was an armory or not.
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