’No legitimate reason’ to join jihadists, prime minister says
MONTREAL— Prime Minister Stephen Harper says there is “no legitimate reason of any kind” for Canadians to become involved in jihadist or terrorist movements.
Harper was in Montreal on Thursday to announce funds for the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency in the fight against terrorism.
The RCMP will get $150.4 million over five years, beginning in 2015-16, and $46.8 million a year after, with the money going to help the Mounties conduct terrorism-related criminal investigations.
The border services agency will get $5.4 million over five years and $1.1 million annually in subsequent years, with some of the funds earmarked for identifying high-risk travellers. the prime minister told reporters after making his announcement.
“And there is no legitimate reason of any kind in this country for someone to become a violent jihadist or a terrorist or to join any kind of group that is involved or advocates that kind of activity. It is totally unacceptable to Canada and Canadians, and unacceptable to this government.”
Violent jihadism is not a future trend but a current reality in Canada and around the world, Harper said, adding that the funds will be important in the fight against Islamic State.
In recent days, militants have been on the advance, seizing the city of Ramadi in Iraq and the central Syrian town of Palmyra. Defence Minister Jason Kenney has described the fall of Ramadi as a setback for the Iraqi military but said it shouldn’t be seen as a sign the coalition is losing the fight against the group.
Kenney said in Ottawa that Canadian jets struck a militant staging area Wednesday in Syria. Two CF-18 aircraft used precisionguided weapons in the attack and the planes returned safely, he said.
Canadian jets have been hitting targets in Iraq connected to the militant group since last fall, but only recently started bombing in Syria.
“These strikes demonstrate our government’s firm resolve to tackle the threat of terrorism against Canada and to promote international security and stability,” Kenney said of the latest attacks.
While the Prime Minister’s Office described the money as “new” and “additional,” the Finance Department said later the funds had been announced in the federal budget in April but that the specific details outlined on Thursday for the RCMP and the CBSA were new.
Harper was speaking at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, where 10 youths were arrested last weekend after being suspected of wanting to leave Canada to join jihadist groups.
“Obviously we have great sympathy for the families affected but let us be clear: we have a great country here. We have a country that is unparalleled in terms of its freedom, its democracy, its openness and its tolerance,”