Canada police charge Somali refugee in Edmonton stabbing, car attacks

[webfact]

Canada police charge Somali refugee in Edmonton stabbing, car attacks

By Ethan Lou

 

Edmonton Police investigate at the scene where a man hit pedestrians then flipped the U-Haul truck he was driving, pictured at the intersection at 107 Street and 100th Avenue in front of the Matrix Hotel in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, October 1, 2017. REUTERS/Candace Elliott

 

EDMONTON, Alberta (Reuters) - Canadian police charged a Somali refugee with five counts of attempted murder on Sunday after they said he stabbed a police officer and ran down several pedestrians with a car in Edmonton, Alberta, in what officials called an act of terrorism.

 

The suspect, a 30-year-old man whom police did not identify, had been investigated two years ago for promoting extremist ideology but not deemed a threat, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said.

 

RCMP Assistant Commissioner Marlin Degrand said an "exhaustive investigation" into the man in 2015 did not uncover sufficient evidence to pursue charges.

 

Canadian media identified the suspect as Abdulahi Hasan Sharif. Reuters was not immediately able to confirm his identity.

 

The attacks in the western Canadian city began when a Chevy Malibu hit a police officer standing in front of a football stadium at about 8:15 p.m. on Saturday, sending him flying into the air. The driver got out of the car and stabbed the officer multiple times before fleeing, according to police accounts and surveillance footage of the incident.

 

Police identified the suspect when he was stopped at a checkpoint and his license showed that he was the owner of the Malibu. He fled the checkpoint and was apprehended after a police chase across a downtown street, during which he hit four pedestrians.

 

A flag of the Islamic State militant group was found inside the Malibu, said Rod Knecht, police chief of Edmonton, Alberta's provincial capital.

 

"To the best of our knowledge, this was a lone-wolf attack," Edmonton Mayor Don Iveson told reporters. "There's no immediate cause for panic or concern."

 

U.S. national security agencies strongly leaned toward the conclusion that the suspect acted alone, although they were reviewing the matter, a U.S. official told Reuters.

 

The police officer, who had stab wounds to the head and face, was released from a hospital on Sunday along with two pedestrians. A third pedestrian was upgraded to stable from critical, while the fourth suffered a fractured skull and had regained consciousness.

 

TRUDEAU, ALBERTA MUSLIMS CONDEMN ATTACK

 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned the attack in a statement that called it "another example of the hate that we must remain ever vigilant against." Canada's government said it would keep the terrorist threat level at medium, where it has been since late 2014.

 

The Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council denounced the attack, organising a Sunday evening rally to bring together members of the community, police and government.

 

"These types of acts, whether terrorism or not, seek to divide communities. We have to show that's not going to happen, not in Edmonton," said group spokesman Aurangzeb Qureshi.

 

Canada has been dealing in recent months with a surge in illegal border crossings by people seeking refugee status, which has renewed debate over whether the country should tighten its borders.

 

The country has not experienced as much violence from extremist attacks as the United States and Western European nations, but there have been several deadly incidents in recent years.

 

In January, a French-Canadian university student was charged with murder after six people were shot and killed inside a Quebec City mosque, in what Trudeau called "a terrorist attack."

 

In August 2016, Canadian police raided an Ontario home and killed Aaron Driver, who they said was an Islamic State supporter preparing an attack on a Canadian city with a homemade bomb.

 

In 2014, Canada was stunned by two deadly attacks that police said were the work of homegrown radicals and led to tougher new anti-terrorism measures.

 

A gunman killed a soldier at Ottawa's national war memorial before launching an attack on the Canadian Parliament in October 2014. In the same week, a man ran down two soldiers in Quebec, killing one.

 

In 2015, a videotape attributed to al Shabaab, a Somali-based Islamist militant group behind a deadly 2013 attack on a Kenyan shopping centre, threatened North American malls, including the West Edmonton Mall.

 

(Reporting by Ethan Lou; Additional reporting by Candace Elliott in Edmonton, Julie Gordon in Vancouver, Mark Hosenball in Washington and Anna Mehler Paperny in Toronto; Writing by Jim Finkle in Toronto; Editing by Sandra Maler and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-10-02

[RBOP]

So he was "....investigated two years ago promoting extremist ideology but not deemed a threat". Then laws need to changed so these fanatics can be taken out of society. At very least his refugee status should have been revoked 2 years ago.

[meinphuket]

Trudeau should be held personally accountable for his promotion of taking in these dangerous nutcases to the detriment of the general populace and peaceful society.

[Credo]

The problem with extreme religious beliefs is that it is almost impossible to predict when they will take an unexpected turn.   Right now, it's Muslim, but in the past, it has been various religious sects, from Jim Jones to Waco, Tx.   

[Cereal]

As a Canadian who left over 12 years ago this merely legitimizes everything I feel that crap country. It's hyper-liberalism and desire to be everyone's home regardless of circumstance is leading it down a dark path. I am so glad I left. I have never been back and never will go back.

 

I was living in Toronto in the late 80's in a flat. One day two girls moved into the downstairs flat and I went to meet them. The were Somali sisters. They told me that in Somalia it was very well known that Canada was the place to get to if you wanted a free ride. They spoke English quite well and told me it had cost them US$ 50,000 each to be smuggled into Canada so they could claim refugee status.

 

It worked.

 

Their rent was paid for a fully furnished apartment, they were given money to buy food, they were given money for entertainment (go see a movie etc), they had free medical (it's Canada) and free dental. They weren't even expected to start trying to find employment. They told me government officials advised them to relax, take their time and get to know their new country. Things would all be taken care of. They loved their new home.

 

In short order the neighbourhood had dozens of Somalis and more were coming. So, the Canadian government built them a recreation center where they could all gather. And more moved in.

 

While all this is very nice and generous and oh so Canadian, me and my wife were working full time for our full ride.

 

As an aside, if you've got US$ 50,000 in Somalia (in the late 80's), it doesn't exactly sound like you're a refugee from anywhere except an exclusive spa.

[Stargeezr]

The PM of Canada was not ready to be PM and still is not ready, but he has nice hair though, and got elected by just being a Trudeau.  This Somali refugee needs to go to jail and when released immediately put on a flight back to Somalia. I doubt very much that it will happen though.

Geezer

[bert bloggs]

2 hours ago, RBOP said:

So he was "....investigated two years ago promoting extremist ideology but not deemed a threat". Then laws need to changed so these fanatics can be taken out of society. At very least his refugee status should have been revoked 2 years ago.

they are ALL a threat 

[bert bloggs]

1 hour ago, Credo said:

The problem with extreme religious beliefs is that it is almost impossible to predict when they will take an unexpected turn.   Right now, it's Muslim, but in the past, it has been various religious sects, from Jim Jones to Waco, Tx.   

 

these were local ,Muslim extremism is worldwide no way can you compare any other form of extremism with it .

[Credo]

20 minutes ago, bert bloggs said:

 

these were local ,Muslim extremism is worldwide no way can you compare any other form of extremism with it .

Wrong.   No way can you not compare them.   Jim Jones, the leader of the People's Temple (note the religious connotation of 'Temple'), oversaw the mass suicide and killing of 918 people.   About 1/3 of those were children.   

 

Extremists of all forms are nearly all dangerous by definition.   

 

 

 

[katana]

And 3...2...1..."Muslim community fears backlash from terror attack and reminds Canada that Islam is a religion of peace".

[Stargeezr]

Islam was a religion of peace, but not today as mosty of the fighting in the world is

mosty being fought by Muslims. Is the world blind to this or just the politicians

and other who want us to believe differently. Only the Ukraine and Russia is

the other fighting that is still going on. In Iraq, Libya, Afghanastan, Syria, all Muslim.

Geezer

[Baerboxer]

1 hour ago, Stargrazer9889 said:

Islam was a religion of peace, but not today as mosty of the fighting in the world is

mosty being fought by Muslims. Is the world blind to this or just the politicians

and other who want us to believe differently. Only the Ukraine and Russia is

the other fighting that is still going on. In Iraq, Libya, Afghanastan, Syria, all Muslim.

Geezer

 

And they're you have it. Those fighting, IS forces, terrorist groups, single men extremists, are all united by the strong firm believe in Islam and Jihad. That's what makes them dangerous.

 

The West with it's big decline in religious conviction, dodgy politicians and political parties and complacent often state mollycoddled population, who have often been discouraged and deprived of the ability to protect themselves, are sitting ducks for these fanatics.

 

And far too many well protected and well paid politicians try to ignore the reality.

[Morch]

3 hours ago, Credo said:

Wrong.   No way can you not compare them.   Jim Jones, the leader of the People's Temple (note the religious connotation of 'Temple'), oversaw the mass suicide and killing of 918 people.   About 1/3 of those were children.   

 

Extremists of all forms are nearly all dangerous by definition.   

 

 

 

 

4 hours ago, Credo said:

The problem with extreme religious beliefs is that it is almost impossible to predict when they will take an unexpected turn.   Right now, it's Muslim, but in the past, it has been various religious sects, from Jim Jones to Waco, Tx.   

 

If "extremists of all forms are nearly all dangerous by definition", then perhaps it is less a question of predicting "when they will take an unexpected turn", and more of setting stricter controls. Not entirely sure how you meant "unexpected" in this context.

[katana]

Imagine my shock. CBC News has confirmed the identity of suspect detained in connection with Edmonton attack as 30-year-old Abdulahi Hasan Sharif.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/abdulahi-hasan-sharif-somali-edmonton-1.4316074

[pegman]

15 hours ago, Cereal said:

As a Canadian who left over 12 years ago this merely legitimizes everything I feel that crap country. It's hyper-liberalism and desire to be everyone's home regardless of circumstance is leading it down a dark path. I am so glad I left. I have never been back and never will go back.

 

I was living in Toronto in the late 80's in a flat. One day two girls moved into the downstairs flat and I went to meet them. The were Somali sisters. They told me that in Somalia it was very well known that Canada was the place to get to if you wanted a free ride. They spoke English quite well and told me it had cost them US$ 50,000 each to be smuggled into Canada so they could claim refugee status.

 

It worked.

 

Their rent was paid for a fully furnished apartment, they were given money to buy food, they were given money for entertainment (go see a movie etc), they had free medical (it's Canada) and free dental. They weren't even expected to start trying to find employment. They told me government officials advised them to relax, take their time and get to know their new country. Things would all be taken care of. They loved their new home.

 

In short order the neighbourhood had dozens of Somalis and more were coming. So, the Canadian government built them a recreation center where they could all gather. And more moved in.

 

While all this is very nice and generous and oh so Canadian, me and my wife were working full time for our full ride.

 

As an aside, if you've got US$ 50,000 in Somalia (in the late 80's), it doesn't exactly sound like you're a refugee from anywhere except an exclusive spa.

As a proud Canadian let me just say on behalf of all remaining Canadians we are overjoyed to be rid of you. Your story about the girls in T.O. is complete BS.

[Credo]

Agree with you Pegman, the story is B.S..   I wonder how many people just strike up a conversation and tell one of the locals how they selected a country and the benefits etc..  

 

 

[Scott]

Off-topic post removed.  

[Scott]

Inflammatory post removed.