AMERICA’S MOST WANTED
Ex-Calgarian sought for terrorist ties
Once thought killed while fighting alongside ISIL forces in Iraq, a Calgarian is now one of the United States’ most-wanted terrorists.
In a decision by the U.S. State Department, Farah Mohamed Shirdon, 24, of Calgary, has been dubbed a “Specially Designated Global Terrorist.”
Filed last month by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, the decision was published on April 19 and said the former Calgary man is a risk to national security.
“I hereby determine that the individual known as Farah Mohamed Shirdon ... has committed, or poses a significant risk of committing acts of terrorism that threaten the security of U.S. nationals or the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States,” the decision read.
The decision also added Canadian Tarek Sakr to the most-wanted list, believed to be part of a group of Quebecers who left for Syria between 2011 and 2012.
Before joining ISIL fighters in Syria, Shirdon — whose uncle was once prime minister of Somalia — lived in Calgary and worked at the Scotiabank Chinook movie theatre and attended SAIT as recently as 2012. Born in Toronto before moving to Calgary with his family, police said Shirdon left Calgary in 2014 to join ISIL in Syria.
Shirdon gained international attention in 2014 when he was featured in a video burning his Canadian passport and threatening western countries, including his home country of Canada.
Multiple reports in August of 2014 indicated Shirdon had been killed while fighting in Syria but he resurfaced on social media a month later.
“We are coming and will destroy you ... this is a message for Canada and for all America,” Shirdon was recorded saying on camera.
“I left comfort for one reason alone, for Allah.”
Global law enforcement centre Interpol added Shirdon to its international most-wanted list in 2015 for leaving Canada to join a terrorist group, as well as participating in and instructing others to join a terrorist group.
That same year, the RCMP laid six terrorism charges in absentia against Shirdon, accusing him of serving in a combat role, recruiting and fundraising for ISIL.
Shirdon is not the only Calgarian to join a terrorist organization.
Damian Claremont, Salman Ashrafi and brothers Collin and Gregory Gordon, all from Calgary, have all been reported killed while fighting for ISIL overseas.