News: North America

Academics & Education

Ministry suspends licences of 11 teachers at Bedford school as Legault vows to reinforce secularism rules 'We have a group of teachers who tried to introduce Islamic religious concepts into a Quebec public school, putting aside science as a way of helping students,' the premier said.

October 22, 2024   

(Montreal Gazette) With the Legault government saying the evidence shows Quebec’s secularism law was being flouted, 11 teachers at Montreal’s Bedford elementary school have had their teaching licences suspended by the Education Ministry pending the conclusions of an investigation. And the government […]

Academics & Education

PQ leader calls for stricter secularism rules in wake of ‘toxic’ climate report at Bedford school Paul St-Pierre Plamondon says the education minister only referred to 'ideological divergences' in a Radio-Canada interview, without acknowledging the religious part of the equation.

October 21, 2024   

(Montreal Gazette) Urging politicians to not shy away from the debate because it involves religion, Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon called Monday for stricter secularism rules in the wake of the Bedford school controversy. St-Pierre Plamondon said what happened in the […]

Academics & Education

’11 teachers all at once?’: Parents shocked by suspensions at Montreal school Several Muslim parents with children at Bedford school said they fear the suspensions will fuel political discourse.

October 21, 2024   

(Montreal Gazette) Parents at a Montreal primary school where 11 teachers were suspended over the weekend expressed shock and confusion during after-school pickup on Monday, with several questioning if the situation had been blown out of proportion. The suspensions, announced on Saturday, […]

Government & Politics

NJ residents linked to ISIS, Hezbollah threat, new report says The House Committee on Homeland Security [report] identified three recent cases where New Jersey residents were linked to ISIS or Hezbollah.

October 21, 2024   

(Patch) Several New Jersey residents have been linked to a “persistent terror threat” to America from foreign jihadist networks and home-grown violent extremists, according to a new U.S. House report. The House Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence released a “Terror […]

Immigration

ISIS-K threat grows as it targets disaffected Muslims with sophisticated propaganda The Afghanistan-based terrorist group has revamped its online recruiting tactics, experts say, as it seeks to carry out attacks against the U.S. and other Western countries.

October 20, 2024   

(NBC) The Islamic State affiliate in Afghanistan has ramped up its recruitment efforts in the past year, American officials and analysts say, rolling out a sophisticated propaganda campaign designed to persuade disaffected Muslims to carry out terrorist plots in the U.S. and […]

Academics & Education

Who is Samidoun’s Charlotte Kates, the face of Canada’s newest terrorist entity? Kates made headlines in the spring after Vancouver police arrested her for praising the October 7 attacks by Hamas against Israel as 'heroic and brave'

October 19, 2024   

(National Post) It was September 2000, and Charlotte Kates was in college when violence erupted in the West Bank and Gaza. It was the beginning of what would become known as the second intifada — a violent uprising whose Arabic name means […]

Government & Politics

They praised Hamas and defended 9/11. Now they’re headlining taxpayer-funded group’s ‘Arab health’ summit Biden-Harris admin has given $24 million to anti-Israel group

October 18, 2024   

(Free Beacon) A nonprofit in Dearborn, Mich., that has received $24 million in taxpayer funds under the Biden-Harris administration will host dozens of physicians, government officials, and activists at an “Arab health summit” next week to address “health amidst conflict and crisis” […]

Government & Politics

Afghan national accused in terror plot was not vetted for SIV status, despite past Biden admin claims Terror suspect Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, was never vetted or approved by the State Department for special immigrant (SIV) status

October 16, 2024 , and   

(Fox) The Biden-Harris administration now admits that an Afghan national accused of plotting an Election Day terror attack did not undergo certain vetting they previously claimed he passed. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, was never vetted or approved by the State Department for […]

Demonstrations

Samidoun on terror radar of watchdog groups for years Described as a 'sham charity' that fundraises for terrorist groups, Samidoun was declared a terrorist entity by Canada and the U.S. this week

October 16, 2024   

(Toronto Sun) Wednesday’s joint declaration of Vancouver-based Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network as a terrorist entity by both Canada and the United States was a long time coming, says one prominent terror watchdog. Gerald Steinberg, president of the Jerusalem-based research institute NGO […]

Academics & Education

The US sanctioned an anti-Israel group for backing terrorists. Months ago, its leaders were hobnobbing with Columbia University students Samidoun, an arm of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, props up anti-Israel campus activism

October 15, 2024 and   

(Free Beacon) The U.S. Department of Treasury, in a joint action with the Canadian government, sanctioned the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network and one of its leaders for providing material support to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), a […]

Immigration

ISIS-K behind foiled Election Day terrorism plot, U.S. officials say Charging documents said the suspect told the FBI that he was communicating with a person named 'Malik' and that he knew 'Malik' was affiliated with the Afghan branch of the Islamic State.

October 15, 2024 , and   

(NBC) ISIS-K, the Afghan branch of the Islamic State, directed an Afghan man’s foiled U.S. Election Day terror plot, according to two senior U.S. officials briefed on the matter. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, was arrested by the FBI last week in Oklahoma […]

Academics & Education

Pro-Hamas group that helped organize college protests is a ‘sham charity,’ Treasury says In an interview with NBC News earlier this month, a co-founder of the group known as Samidoun called Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel 'a brave and heroic operation.'

October 15, 2024 , and   

(NBC) A pro-Hamas organization that has helped organize protests on American college campuses is a “sham charity” that fundraises for a terrorist group, the Treasury Department said Tuesday. In a joint action by the U.S. and Canadian governments, the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner […]

Demonstrations

Canada designates Samidoun a terrorist entity after ‘death to Canada’ chant 'The listing of Samidoun as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code sends a strong message that Canada will not tolerate this type of activity'

October 15, 2024   

(National Post) Samidoun, a Vancouver-based anti-Israel organization, has been designated as a terror group in both Canada and the United States. “The listing of Samidoun as a terrorist entity under the Criminal Code sends a strong message that Canada will not tolerate […]

Demonstrations

Samidoun doubles down, says ‘death to Canada’ an accurate summation of its goals 'We acknowledge that the community was shocked by the phrase, and the burning of the Canadian flag ... Yet, we at Samidoun stand by this phrase as the call to action that it is'

October 14, 2024   

(National Post) After Samidoun was roundly condemned for chanting “death to Canada” at a Vancouver rally celebrating the one-year anniversary of the October 7 terrorist attacks, the anti-Israel group has doubled down on the slogan, saying it’s an accurate representation of what […]

Government & Politics

Arab and Muslim leaders risk blowback for endorsing Harris As Kamala Harris steps up her engagement to a group of voters who could be critical in Michigan, some fear publicly supporting her.

October 14, 2024 and   

(NBC) Last month, Mohammed Hassan, a longtime city councilor in Hamtramck, Michigan, the only Muslim-majority city in the country, got a call from someone with Kamala Harris’ presidential campaign asking him what they needed to do to win back disaffected Michigan Muslims. […]

Government & Politics

Iran has a hit list of former Trump aides. The U.S. is scrambling to protect them Roughly a dozen national security aides from the Trump White House are feared to be [on] Iran’s hit list. It’s hard to protect them all.

October 11, 2024   

(Politico) U.S. officials are coming to a troubling realization about Iran’s repeated threats to kill Donald Trump and some of his former top generals and national security strategists: Tehran isn’t bluffing — and it isn’t giving up anytime soon. Iran has been […]

Academics & Education

Montreal elementary school under investigation for ‘toxic’ learning environment 3 other CSSDM schools to be audited after reports of similar incidents

October 11, 2024   

(CBC) Quebec’s Education Ministry has placed a Montreal elementary school under watch after an investigation found that teachers fostered a “toxic” environment that psychologically harmed students for years. Reporting by Quebec radio station 98.5 FM in 2023 on incidents at the school […]

Legal

US soldier sentenced to 14 years for role in planned terror attack In online conversations, Cole Bridges discussed and offered ideas for attacks on the U.S. and his fellow service members. He didn't know there was an FBI agent on the other side of his messages.

October 11, 2024   

(Courthouse News) A U.S. soldier was sentenced to 14 years in Manhattan federal court on Friday for trying to help the Islamic State group plan to attack the 9/11 Memorial in New York City and target his fellow servicemen in the Middle […]

Government & Politics

Afghan national charged with Election Day terror plot reignites vetting concerns: ‘Glaring alarms’ Republicans, internal watchdogs have flagged concerns about vetting Afghans

October 9, 2024   

(Fox) The arrest of an Afghan national now accused of plotting an Election Day terror attack on behalf of ISIS, and who entered the United States shortly after the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan, is reigniting long-standing questions and concerns from Republicans about […]

Government & Politics

Afghan accused of plotting terror attack worked as CIA guard, officials say It isn't yet known whether the man, who worked for the CIA in Afghanistan, radicalized before or after he arrived in the U.S. following the chaotic American withdrawal.

October 9, 2024 , and   

(NBC) An Afghan man arrested on charges of planning a terrorist attack on Election Day worked as a security guard in Afghanistan for the CIA, two sources with knowledge of the matter told NBC News. Nasir Ahmad Tawhedi, 27, was arrested on Monday in […]

Demonstrations

Liberals ‘considering all options’ over pro-terror group Samidoun; Poilievre vows to ban it Poilievre's promise follows calls from national Jewish advocacy organizations

October 8, 2024   

(National Post) The federal Liberal government says it is “considering all options” when it comes to listing the group Samidoun as a terrorist entity, which Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre vowed on Tuesday to do, should his party form the next government. Poilievre’s […]

Government & Politics

Tim Walz makes direct appeal to conflicted Muslim voters Democrats are stepping up their outreach to Muslim and Arab voters, who could be critical in battleground states like Michigan but are concerned about U.S. support for Israel.

October 3, 2024   

(NBC) Vice presidential candidate Tim Walz addressed a Democratic Muslim voter group Thursday night as the Harris campaign works to engage a group of voters who threaten to defect in large numbers over the Biden administration’s handling of the deteriorating situation in […]