Muslims Helped Canadian Authorities in Amtrak Derailing Plot -- Security Today

Muslims Helped Canadian Authorities in Amtrak Derailing Plot

By Ginger Hill
Apr 23, 2013

It seems that the Muslim community assisted in detaining the two suspects, Chiheb Esseghaier, a 30-year old doctoral student of Montreal and Raed Jaser, age 35 of Toronto for planning to derail an Amtrak train after it had crossed the border into Canada from the United States. Several news sources have said that the plan was “al-Qaeda-inspired,” meaning that the plan was directed and guided from an element of al-Qaeda, the Islamic terrorist organization, based in Iran.

Muhammad Robert Heft, a Muslim community leader in Canada, told the Toronto Sun newspaper, “There is going to be backlash, but I want to reiterate. Who was the one who tipped the RCMP off? It was our community.”

This act from the Muslim community helped to solve an investigation that has been ongoing for a year.

Muhammad Heft operates an out-reach program for youth who are at risk of being radicalized. He believes that acts such as this must be “nipped in the bud,” and people must cooperate with authorities so that justice can be served.

“At the end of the day, it’s now how your dress, it’s how you think,” said Heft. “…in our hearts we love Canada. It’s our country. It’s our tribe. We want safety for all Canadians regardless of their religion.”

I applaud Heft for not only helping Canadian authorities deter what could have been a disastrous terrorist attack but also for helping at-risk youth.

Muslims Helped Canadian Authorities in Amtrak Derailing Plot

Materials confiscated from suspects home in conjunction with planned train derailment.

Muslims Helped Canadian Authorities in Amtrak Derailing Plot

Story map of Canadian train derailment incident.

(Sources: http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/04/23/17873250-muslims-helped-foil-alleged-canada-train-bomb-plot?lite and http://www.torontosun.com/2013/04/22/muslim-community-tipped-off-rcmp-about-terror-plot)

(Video and Pictures Source: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2313125/Canada-terror-plot-Authorities-thwart-al-Qaeda-backed-attack-trains-Toronto.html)

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

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