Toronto, - The Jewish human rights organization B’nai Brith Canada has stated that the French government’s imminent arrest of Mohamed Merah, suspected of murdering four French Jews and three French soldiers, has come too late for the victims. The organization, which regularly consults with the RCMP and CSIS on issues relating to security threats and safeguards, is questioning whether the deadly attack might have been prevented if French authorities had shifted from a policy of merely observing homegrown terrorist suspects to actively pursuing those planning to perpetrate terrorist acts.
Frank Dimant, CEO of B’nai Brith Canada, stated: “Concern is growing that these atrocities could have been prevented, since the suspect, known by authorities for his alleged terrorist activities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, had reportedly been under police surveillance for years. Western governments must transition from over-reliance on surveillance of terror suspects to active prevention strategies against would-be terrorists.
“As details emerge regarding the suspect’s reported affiliations with Islamist terror networks such as Fursan Al-Izza, a French arm of al-Qaeda, what is also alarming is his apparent radicalization in France by an Islamist group, a phenomenon that has been noted in other countries, too. We are calling on the Canadian government and its security agencies to remain vigilant in confronting the ongoing threat of homegrown Islamist terror and to take strong measures to prevent continued radicalization in this country. There is a sad irony in funerals being held in Israel and France as we mark the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, a day that is supposed to celebrate an end to racial dissension.
“We strongly encourage community members to immediately report all suspicious patterns to the police and to B’nai Brith Canada via its Anti-Hate Hotline at 1-800-892-BNAI (2624). For ongoing alerts sign up to Jewish Canada at www.jewishcanada.ca
“Our hearts go out to the families of the victims who were laid to rest today, to the broader French Jewish community, and the families of the murdered French soldiers.”
