A Radical Deradicalizer

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Hussein Hamdani is a well-respected lawyer in Ontario with an established reputation as a “moderate Muslim”. His seat on the federal Cross-Cultural Roundtable on National Security has made him the go-to guy for advice on how to prevent young Muslims from being “radicalized”.

All that has changed in the past few days. It turns out that the Moderate Deradicalizer has a track record of, well, radical opinions and associations. His fellow Muslims are shocked — shocked! — to learn about some of their colleague’s previous activities, about which they knew nothing. By the beard of the prophet, we had no idea!

TVA Nouvelles in Quebec broke the story, and the government has suspended Hussein Hamdani from the Roundtable as a result. Now Mr. Hamdani claims that what happened to him is the result of federal election politics, due to his support for Baby Doc Trudeau and the Liberals.

Below is the news clip from TVA that caused all the fuss. Many thanks to the Counterjiahd Collective for the translation, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling:

Here’s a report on the aftermath of the revelations, from the CBC:

Hussein Hamdani says federal election politics behind his suspension

Suspension follows allegations on TVA network about Muslim lawyer

A Hamilton lawyer who has been suspended as an adviser on Muslim issues and security for the federal government says his removal is politically motivated because he is supporting Justin Trudeau and the Liberals.

Minister of Public Safety Steven Blaney suspended Hussein Hamdani from the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on National Security this week.

Blaney’s office is looking into questions raised by the French TVA network about politically charged statements it alleges Hamdani made as a university student, and allegations about radical organizations that it says Hamdani had associations with.

Blaney’s office did not explain why it was taking the action now, when it acknowledges it has known about the allegations for “some time.”

But Hamdani told CBC News he believes the decision is politically motivated, and denies all the allegations outright.

“I’ve been vetted and I’ve received various levels of security clearance over the years. So to have this come out now, to me, it clearly has political motivations that are attributed to it,” he said. All members of the roundtable are vetted by CSIS and the RCMP, he said.

“Perhaps they’re not pleased that I’m very critical of Bill C-51,” Hamdani said. “Perhaps the government is displeased that I have been supporting Justin Trudeau and the Liberals.” Bill C-51 is the Conservative government’s controversial proposed anti-terror legislation.

In a statement, a spokesperson for Blaney called the allegations against Hamdani “very concerning.”

“This individual’s membership on the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on National Security has been suspended immediately pending a review of the facts. While questions surrounding this individual’s links to radical ideology have circulated for some time, it was hoped that he could be a positive influence to promote Canadian values. It is now becoming clear this may not have been the case.”

The suspension is a blow to the reputation of a lawyer who has been a prominent Hamilton leader, considered a moderate voice on Muslim issues and whom a local business magazine named in its 40 under 40 roundup in 2012.

Cross-Cultural Roundtable chair Dr. Myrna Lashley told CBC News she was shocked by the allegations.

“That’s not the Mr. Hamdani that I know. I’ve never heard any of these things that was reported.”

Former Hamilton mayor Larry Di Ianni also tweeted in support of Hamdani’s work locally.

There’s more at Point de Bascule, here and here.

Video transcript:

0:16   Sophie Thibault: First, an exclusive TVA news item.
0:18   An advisor to the federal government on issues relating to the Muslim community and terrorism
0:24   has been linked with Islamist organizations. Michel Jean.
0:28   Michel Jean: Hussein Hamdani, lawyer, Muslim activist, self-proclaimed moderate Muslim.
0:34  
0:38   Since 2005, Hamdani has been a member of the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security,
0:41   an organization advising Ottawa about terrorism and other topics.
0:45  
0:51   “The type of people you would expect to not only give you informed advice
0:55   and perspective,” Canada’s Minister of Justice said before a Senate committee.
1:00  
1:03   Hamdani was already active at university with the Muslim Students Association, which was established by the Muslim Brotherhood.
1:09  
1:10   This video shows an oath-giving ceremony organized by the MSA: “Jihad is my spirit,” this man says,
1:15   and “I will die to establish Islam.”
1:20   In a guide for MSA activists, Hussein Hamdani wrote in 1996
1:25   that local MSAs must “Islamize student politics on their campus.”
1:31   “It is the duty of the MSA to bring morality back into the campus.”
1:33   For example, same-sex marriages should be declared immoral.
1:38   For this expert, the goal of the guide is clear.
1:41   Marc Lebuis: How the Muslim students associations in various universities must organize
1:48   to Islamize campuses.
1:50   In spite of his controversial positions, he became a security advisor in Ottawa nine years later,
1:54   which does not prevent him from maintaining problematic relationships.
1:58   In 2003, he was the organizer of what became the most important Islamic convention in Canada.
2:03   The event was sponsored by the World Assembly of Muslim Youth. A few years later, its charitable status was revoked
2:11   for having funded an organization that was suspected of links with Al Qaeda.
2:16   Hussein Hamdani has been active with at least two organizations, the Halton Islamic Association
2:20   and the Hamdani Foundation, which transferred money to IRFAN-Canada, which was listed as a terrorist organization by Ottawa
2:28   after police searches of the organization’s offices in Toronto and Montréal.
2:32  
2:35   Hussein Hamdani claims that he did not know about the Saudi funding of the Toronto convention
2:39  
2:43   and that he did not do anything illegal by giving money to IRFAN-Canada.
2:46   Today, Hussein Hamdani rejects what he said about homosexuals.
2:49   This long-time activist presents himself as the person in the best position to prevent youth
2:53   from joining the terrorist group Islamic State. Michel Jean, TVA Nouvelles Montréal.
3:01   And Cindy, the Public Safety Minister’s office has reacted.
3:04   Cindy Royer: This report led to an increased interest in Hussein Hamdani’s case,
3:09   who has been suspended pending an investigation.
3:12   Here is what Minister Steven Blaney’s spokesperson sent us this evening.
3:16   I am quoting: “These allegations are very disturbing. The participation of this individual in the Cross-Cultural Roundtable on Security’s activities
3:24   has been suspended immediately, pending the results of an investigation.”
3:28   The statement adds that, this evening, the government has reason to doubt
3:33   Hussein Hamdani’s positive influence in the Muslim community. That’s it, Sophie.
3:37   Talk to you later, Cindy.
 

For a complete listing of previous enrichment news, see The Cultural Enrichment Archives.

4 thoughts on “A Radical Deradicalizer”

  2. Generally, what concerns me about his former position that same sex marriage should be considered immoral is that he rejects it.

    When someone rejects something so obviously true, it is clear that you cannot believe them when they claim to have rejected anything else.

    • Just because you call something “obviously true” don’t make it so.

      Next week I plan to entertain some visiting American friends. They’re gay, together for decades, recently married under Pennsylvania law, and how this can be wrong is beyond me.

      • Yes. I know.

        That doesn’t change the fact that nobody should trust anybody who denies the obvious truth that it is, in fact, wrong.

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