News Digest - April 4, 2013
Terrorism        


Toronto Star 04/04/2013 - Good for the CBC that on Monday it identified the two Canadians who were part of the Jan. 16 hostage-taking at an Algerian gas plant in which 37 workers were killed, along with the Al Qaeda-linked terrorists. But bad for the CBC that in its ensuing coverage it tied the youth from London, Ont., to the mosque and the Muslim community there, without any proof. It reported, variously, that the two young Muslim men "may have attended the mosque" or more vaguely that "at least one of those (two) attended mosque in London, Ont." There are, in fact, two main mosques there, the London Muslim Mosque and the Islamic Centre of Southwest Ontario. The CBC and the other media that followed the story could not seem to keep the two apart (a telling sloppiness when it comes to Muslims and their institutions). Neither place had anything to do with the youth. But by Tuesday morning, the idea had taken hold, especially on commercial radio, that the two got radicalized frequenting a mosque, the mosque or mosques.

Read more

Juan Cole: The real threat is white supremacists

Canadians among suspected terrorists in Algeria gas plant siege were Ontario school friends: report

Investigation finds third possible Canadian suspect in Algeria terror attack

'He's 100% against terrorism': Man wants to clear his name after reports link him to Algeria attack, brother says

Canada will 'recommit' to combating homegrown terrorism, John Baird says

Canada often successful at nipping homegrown 'radicalization' in bud: Kenney

Muslim leaders in London, Ont., react to Algeria terrorist attack links
Iraq: 10 years later  


TomDispatch.com 28/03/2013 - In our post-9/11 world, there are so many other anniversaries from hell whose silver linings don't get noticed. Take this April. It will be the ninth anniversary of the widespread release of the now infamous photos of torture, abuse, and humiliation from Abu Ghraib. Shouldn't there be an anniversary of some note there? Or to pick another not-to-be-missed anniversary that, strangely enough, goes uncelebrated here, consider the passage of the USA Patriot Act, that ten-letter acronym for "Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism"? This October 26th will be the 12th anniversary of the hurried congressional vote on that 363-page (essentially unread) document filled with right-wing hobbyhorses and a range of provisions meant to curtail American liberties in the name of keeping us safe from terror.

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More news
Access to information       
Criminalization of dissent       

Guantanamo      

Immigration and refugee rights 

Militarism  

National security  

No-fly lists   

Racism     
Rendition to torture      
Surveillance and privacy      
War on terror       
Miscellaneous

 

About us

 

The ICLMG is a national coalition of thirty-nine Canadian civil society organizations that was established in the aftermath of the September, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States. You will find in this News Digest news articles, events, calls to action and much more regarding national security, anti-terrorism, civil liberties and other issues related to the mandate and concerns of ICLMG and its member organizations. The content of this News Digest does not necessarily reflect the positions of ICLMG.


Event

Criminalization of dissent: a panel discussion in solidarity with political prisoners around the globe 

Wednesday April 17, 2013 at 6:30pm
OISE - Room 5-250
252 Bloor Street West, Toronto

Co-organizers: Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA), Coalition for Tamil Rights (CTR), Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network (LACSN) and the Philippine Solidarity Network - Toronto (PSNT)

Speakers: Issam Alyamani, Francine "Flower" Doxtator,
Jaroslava Avila,
Krisna Saravanamuttu, Perry Sorio, and a special guest speaker on the issue of Security Certificates in Canada.
 Join us to hear these stories,
identify common strategies and discuss effective community responses.

 

For further information: [email protected]
Take action 

Refugee Rights Day: Why are you proud to protect refugees?     

Following recent changes to Canada's refugee determination  system, it may be tougher to protect refugees in Canada. Join the Canadian Council for Refugees in showing Canadians and the world why we are still proud to protect refugees and refugee rights.

 

Take action 

Deportation is not entertainment! Cancel the reality show Border Security     

Dozens of people were interrogated, arrested, and detained by the Canadian Border Services Agency. One of them was my husband.  Shockingly, some of these traumatic experiences were filmed for a reality TV show "Border Security" which airs on National Geographic Channel. Sign the petition to urge National Geographic Channel and Force Four Entertainment, to cancel the show "Border Security" immediately. 

 

Take action 

Donate to the legal fund for Mohamed Mahjoub    

The security certificate process was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court of Canada in the 2007 Charkaoui ruling. A new certificate was issued against Mr. Mahjoub in February 2008 under this new process and he was forced to begin the process all over again. The Federal Court has not yet ruled on the 'reasonability' of the new certificate against him. In the context of these new security certificate proceedings, Mr. Mahjoub was subject to an unprecedented violation of his rights. The present fund-raising initiative is aimed at obtaining a permanent stay of the unfair proceedings against him in light of this unprecedented violation.

 

Take action 

"Hundred for Hassan" Campaign   

Hassan will be put in prison if he does not pay his "creditor" - in this case, the Canadian government - $2,000 per month for the cost of his  own surveillance. We invite you to be one of 100 people who care about due process and the presumption of innocence and oppose abusive extradition proceedings, by pledging $20 per month or more to share the cost of Dr. Diab's oppressive burden. This is our way of taking a public stand and saying, "This is just wrong."

 

Cinema

The Gatekeepers, a documentary 

This week at the Bytowne cinema.

The movie is in part a history of post-'67 Israel, in which familiar events are revisited from an unusual and fascinating perspective through interviews with six former leaders of Shin Bet, the secretive Israeli security agency. What is most astonishing about the interviews is how candid and critical these six spymasters are, inflecting their stories with pointed, sometimes devastating assessments of the failings of successive governments.