American law enforcement officials say they’re going to be demanding the extradition of a terrorism suspect arrested in Canada earlier this week.
The FBI and RCMP say 20-year-old Muhammad Shahzeb Khan, also known as Shahzeb Jadoon, was arrested on terrorism charges in Ormstown, Quebec, on his way to New York.
They said Khan was planning a massive attack on Jewish people in New York City timed to the first anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel.
The Hamilton Jewish Federation here in Hamilton says it’s disheartened and disappointed by these latest events, and the federal government has to do more to keep potential terrorists out of this country.
One of its members, Jason Waxman says, “One of the most disturbing things for a Jewish community, for us, is the fact that this individual is 20 years old. It’s another generation of hate, another generation of terror that we’re now dealing with.”
In this case, a court filing by the FBI says Khan was planning “the largest attack on U.S. soil since 9/11.”
Police say Khan communicated his support for ISIS, and stated his goal was to kill “as many Jewish people as possible.”
Security expert, Tony Seaboyer, says that made him relatively easy to identify, but other potential terrorists may not be so easy.
“The much larger threat which we all have to be concerned about is the lone wolves that are inspired by the content of organizations like ISIS but do not communicate with them directly, but take the order of the general attack and learn from propaganda what to do.”
Dr. Daniel Kollek, from McMaster University, who has studied terrorism, says the goal of terrorists is to create fear that turns into hatred.
“The attack against Jews will cause stress in society, will cause enmity between groups and it makes it even harder to have any dialogue. You can’t have a dialogue toward peaceful solutions, and that is exactly what terrorists want because if there’s a peaceful solution they have no ground to thrive on.”
Khan is charged in Canada and the U.S. with participating in or supporting a terrorist group, with the possibility of getting 20 years in prison.
