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Posted by Al Gordon on 19:55:57 2004/10/22
In Reply to: Re: CJC press release condemns incitement posted by Al Gordon
CCD CALLS FOR CHARGES FOR INCITEMENT TO KILL ISRAELIS
For immediate release
TORONTO – October 22, 2004 – The Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) is calling for an investigation and the possible laying of charges under Canada’s hate crime laws for the promotion of hatred and genocide against Israelis.
On October 19, Mohammed Elmasry, national president of the Canadian Islamic Congress, was a guest on the TV program, Michael Coren Live. The following exchange took place:
Elmasry: “[Victims of suicide bombings] are not innocent [because] the total population of Israel is part of the army ... From 18 on, they are part of the soldiers, even if they have civilian clothes."
Coren: “So everyone in Israel…irrespective of gender, over the age of 18 is a target?”
Elmasry: “Yes, I would say…They are not innocent if they are part of … [the] total population of Israel…”
At the Dar al-Madinah Islamic Centre in East Vancouver last spring, Sheik Younus Kathrada preached to an audience that Jews were "the brothers of monkeys and swine". Sheik Kathrada incited his audience by declaring suicide bombing to be an Islamic duty when he said, “It is inconceivable that a true believer will not desire martyrdom."
Canada’s law banning the inciting of group hatred states clearly: “Every one who, by communicating statements in any public place, incites hatred against any identifiable group where such incitement is likely to lead to a breach of the peace is guilty of (a) an indictable offence and is liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years; or (b) an offence punishable on summary conviction.” Likewise, Canada's anti-terrorism act outlaws ther incitement of violence for political gain.
“We have anti-hate and anti-terrorism laws on the books, and these actions are a clear breach of those laws,” said Naresh Raghubeer, executive director of CCD. “I hope our Minister of Justice, the honourable Irwin Cotler, will use the law as it is written, to punish this toxic hatred and incitement before it is too late.”
“It is not enough to condemn these individuals,” said Alastair Gordon, communications director of CCD. “We need to use the laws we already have to assure that our tolerance does not lead Canada to repeat the mistakes of history with the same horrific consequences.”
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For more information, please contact:
Alastair Gordon
Director of Communications
Canadian Coalition for Democracies
PO Box 72602
345 Bloor Street East
Toronto, ON M4W 3J0 Canada
Web: http://CanadianCoalition.com
Tel: 416-963-8998
Fax: 360-294-2839
Email: admin@CanadianCoalition.com
Founded in 2003, the Canadian Coalition for Democracies (CCD) is a non-partisan, multi-ethnic, multi-denominational organization of concerned Canadians dedicated to the protection and promotion of democracy at home and abroad.
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