OTTAWA: Quebec mosque attacks must be treated as hate crimes, group says

OTTAWA (Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Attacks on two west Quebec mosques aren't a sign of widespread intolerance, but they still must be treated as hate crimes, the president of an Ottawa-area Muslim umbrella group says.

"In a city of one million people, there is always somebody who doesn't like somebody," said Mohammad Zakaria Khan, president of the Muslim Co-ordinating Council of the National Capital Region.

Attacks like this happen "from time to time," but aren't a regular problem, he said Monday in an interview.

Still, he said in a statement to area Muslims that the council is "disturbed by the repeated acts of vandalism against the Gatineau, Que., mosque.

"These are clearly hate crimes and authorities should act with speed and determination to catch the culprits."

The Outaouais Islamic Centre in Gatineau was vandalized twice last week with broken windows and spray-painted hate slogans.

As well, the nearby Mosque of Aylmer received an email last week saying Muslims should leave the country, and containing religious slurs. Mosque leaders haven't contacted local police.

The Gatineau mosque was able to give police valuable surveillance footage of a suspect, thanks to funding from a new federal program. The centre received nearly $30,000 in 2010 to strengthen its security systems, including a state-of-the-art alarm system, fencing, closed-circuit cameras, flood lights and anti-graffiti coating for its windows.

The funding came from the Security Infrastructure Program, which specifically aims to help protect institutions from hate-related violence.

Between 2007 and 2010, 121 projects were approved as part of the program's $3-million initial budget, including the $28,305 awarded to the Outaouais Islamic Centre. The funding matched money raised by the mosque.

"We welcome the statements of Prime Minister Harper and Immigration and Citizenship Minister Jason Kenney condemning such attacks," Khan said in his statement.

"We also welcome the increased surveillance and vigilance of authorities in Quebec. We also applaud the financial assistance the government is providing to organizations to greatly improve their security features for their protection and that of their property.

"We note that such vandalism has also targeted churches, synagogues, cemeteries, schools, and private property. In a country as free as Canada it is unfortunate that some individuals abuse their freedom and seek to hurt their fellow Canadians or damage their property. The full force of the law should be brought to bear in such cases."

He added that Muslims should build bridges by following "the teachings of the Holy Qur'an and Hadith that emphasize honesty, integrity, good manners, unity, constructive acts, caring for neighbours, relatives, orphans and the needy, respectful and constructive dialogue with fellow human beings of other faiths."

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