Salaheddin Islamic Centre
Encyclopedia
Located in Scarborough, Ontario
Salaheddin Islamic Centre is a Canadian mosque
noted for its outspoken Imam
Aly Hindy
and a number of its other members. It is believed that the mosque is closely monitored by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
, and some members accuse the agency of nurturing a vendetta
against the worship centre.
One of its key founders was Hassan Farhat
, although he was made persona non grata
by the mosque's administrators and forbidden from continuing to hold any position in the facility; although he was allowed to return for worship. A number of its worshippers have been accused of ties to terrorism, including Ahmed Khadr who ran a charity named Health and Education Project International with ties to the mosque and allegedly funneled money to Afghan training camp
s.
Brothers Saeed and Masoud Rasoul
, whose father was a prayer leader at the mosque, later went missing in Iraq, believed to have fought for Ansar al-Islam
, possibly at the urging of Farhat.
Following the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests, it emerged that Fahim Ahmad
and a number of other suspects were members of the mosque.
During the bail Hearing of Abdullah Khadr
in August 2008, the Crown attacked the credibility of the mosque — although judge Trotter dismissed the suggestion, referring to testimony from RCMP officer Tarek Mokdad who agreed it was not reasonable to suggest the mosque supported terrorism.
Scarborough, Ontario
Scarborough is a dissolved municipality within the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it comprises the eastern part of Toronto. It is bordered on the south by Lake Ontario, on the west by Victoria Park Avenue, on the north by Steeles Avenue East, and on the east by the Rouge River...
Salaheddin Islamic Centre is a Canadian mosque
Mosque
A mosque is a place of worship for followers of Islam. The word is likely to have entered the English language through French , from Portuguese , from Spanish , and from Berber , ultimately originating in — . The Arabic word masjid literally means a place of prostration...
noted for its outspoken Imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
Aly Hindy
Aly Hindy
Aly Hindy is the current Imam of the Salaheddin Islamic Centre in Scarborough, Canada, notable for his alleged connections to militant and fundamentalist elements, as well as his defence of Canadians accused of terrorism....
and a number of its other members. It is believed that the mosque is closely monitored by the Canadian Security Intelligence Service
Canadian Security Intelligence Service
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service is Canada's national intelligence service. It is responsible for collecting, analyzing, reporting and disseminating intelligence on threats to Canada's national security, and conducting operations, covert and overt, within Canada and abroad.Its...
, and some members accuse the agency of nurturing a vendetta
Feud
A feud , referred to in more extreme cases as a blood feud, vendetta, faida, or private war, is a long-running argument or fight between parties—often groups of people, especially families or clans. Feuds begin because one party perceives itself to have been attacked, insulted or wronged by another...
against the worship centre.
One of its key founders was Hassan Farhat
Hassan Farhat
Born in Telafa, Iraq, Hassan Farhat was the founder and Imam of Salaheddin Mosque in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada....
, although he was made persona non grata
Persona non grata
Persona non grata , literally meaning "an unwelcome person", is a legal term used in diplomacy that indicates a proscription against a person entering the country...
by the mosque's administrators and forbidden from continuing to hold any position in the facility; although he was allowed to return for worship. A number of its worshippers have been accused of ties to terrorism, including Ahmed Khadr who ran a charity named Health and Education Project International with ties to the mosque and allegedly funneled money to Afghan training camp
Afghan training camp
An Afghan training camp is a camp or facility used for militant training located in pre-2002 Afghanistan. At the time of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Indian intelligence officials estimated that there were over 120 training camps operating in Afghanistan and Pakistan, run by a variety of...
s.
Brothers Saeed and Masoud Rasoul
Saeed and Masoud Rasoul
Born in Kurdistan, Saeed Sobrahatollah Muhammad Rasoul and Masoud Rasoul are brothers who moved to Canada with their parents in 1990/91, and were granted Canadian citizenship before settling down in North York, Ontario...
, whose father was a prayer leader at the mosque, later went missing in Iraq, believed to have fought for Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam
Ansar al-Islam is a Sunni Islamist group of Iraqis, promoting a radical interpretation of Islam, close to the official Saudi ideology of Wahhabism with strict application of Sharia. The group was formed in the northern provinces of Iraq near the Iranian border, and previously had established...
, possibly at the urging of Farhat.
Following the 2006 Toronto terrorism arrests, it emerged that Fahim Ahmad
Fahim Ahmad
Fahim Ahmad is one of people convicted in the 2006 Toronto terrorism case. He was a ringleader in the group. He was 21 years old at the time of arrest, and married with two children.-Life:...
and a number of other suspects were members of the mosque.
During the bail Hearing of Abdullah Khadr
Abdullah Khadr
Abdullah Ahmed Khadr is the oldest son of Ahmed Khadr and brother of Omar Khadr who has been charged with war crimes before the Guantanamo military commission....
in August 2008, the Crown attacked the credibility of the mosque — although judge Trotter dismissed the suggestion, referring to testimony from RCMP officer Tarek Mokdad who agreed it was not reasonable to suggest the mosque supported terrorism.