Mid-Week Post

Your central weekly focus...


Canadian Islamic school connected to the San Bernadino shooter now closed over fears of  alleged "backlash":

The Canadian branch of a controversial Islamic foundation suspended classes over safety concerns Tuesday following a report that four of its former students left Canada to join a terrorist group in Syria.

The Al Huda Institute Canada said it closed its doors after CBC News reported that one woman who attended its religious classes left to support ISIL while three others also left for the country but were intercepted by Turkish authorities and sent back to Canada.

The institute said it first heard about the allegations on Monday night.

(Sidebar: like fun it did.)

"Law enforcement authorities have never brought forward any allegations that four girls associated with the institute travelled to join terrorist organizations," said Imran Haq, the institute's operations manager.

"In addition, the institute has no knowledge as to the identity of these individuals and as such, cannot confirm whether or not they were enrolled in the institute, for how long, or any other related information." ...

(Sidebar: Al Huda has not denounced jihad. Carry on.)

 The institute in Mississauga was founded in 2005 by Farhat Hashmi, a Pakistani scholar who once lived in Canada. It is among a number of branches across Pakistan, the U.S. and the U.K. which all teach ideology and principles she has promoted.

Hashmi, who has a doctorate in Islamic studies from the University of Glasgow in Scotland, has been criticized for being very conservative and promoting an oppressive interpretation of Islam.

Haq has defended Hashmi, saying her teachings have been "well-received" by students and are "relevant to Muslims all around the world.

(Sidebar: like I said.)

The Al Huda International Welfare Foundation has spoken out since its link to the California shootings surfaced, saying Malik seemed "unable to understand the beautiful message of the Qur'an."

(Sidebar: oh, like this: "When We decide to destroy a population, We (first) send a definite order to those among them who are given the good things of this life and yet transgress; so that the word is proved true against them: then (it is) We destroy them utterly.")

 
For some reason, people don't like mass shooters.

Everybody's a critic.


Also: the man who bought assault rifles for the "radicalised" San Bernadino shooters was related to them.




Paris terrorist confirmed having been in Syria:

The third man who attacked the Bataclan concert hall in Paris on Nov. 13 has been identified as a 23-year-old French national who went to Syria two years ago, according to officials involved in the inquiry into the multiple attacks on the French capital.

Investigators identified Foued Mohamed-Aggad as one of three Islamist gunmen who killed 90 people at the Bataclan after his mother told them that she had been informed of his death by text message from Syria, a lawyer for the dead man's family said.

Two of the three attackers killed themselves by exploding their suicide vests and another was shot dead by police. 

Officials have yet to put names to all of eight dead gunmen and suicide bombers directly involved in last month's attacks, for which Islamic State, a militant group that controls swathes of Syria and Iraq, claimed responsibility.

Also: the new Liberal voters block arrives in Canada soon.




But... but... for all the work they did to make sure the Liberals won!

Forty-three First Nations are waiting on the Liberal government to release more than $12 million in funding which was held back by the previous government under a controversial law that requires bands to post financial statements online.

This transparency law was one of the very few things aboriginals had to hold their band chiefs to account.

Trudeau wants to rid them of that.



You know what you're doing, Justin:

The Bank of Canada says it would consider bumping its trend-setting interest rate into negative territory if the country ever faced a major economic shock, although governor Stephen Poloz said such a move is unlikely.

Thank your nearest Liberal voter for this.



Removing the last vestiges of a sane government:

The government wants Surinder Pal to give up his job, but the Winnipeg real estate appraiser said he isn't about to call it quits.

Pal is one of 33 panel members, executives and others who received a letter from the Liberal government yesterday asking them not to take on new jobs or job extensions. The president of Canada Post, the director of Via Rail and the Veterans ombudsman were also on that list.

All were told they could reapply for their job under a new, more open selection process.

"[It's] just a bad political game, in my mind," said Pal. "They want to put their own people in."

What difference does it make? Well, this:

American military forces were available for a rescue operation not long after the U.S. diplomatic facility in Benghazi, Libya, came under attack by terrorists Sept. 11, 2012, according to an email to former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s closest aides.

Obama will let Hillary Liar fall on her sword.

Far too sad:

Officer D Herrejon was thrown from the back of his horse Charlotte while on duty on the streets of Houston, Texas. She was startled by traffic and was hit by a cement truck.

The six-year-old mare had been part of the Houston Mounted Patrol for four years. As she lay on the street, Officer Herrejon, who later required medical attention, refused to leave her side.

He held her head and stroked her as she lay dying.

A vet was called to the scene and the horse was put down because its back legs were severely injured.

And now, chocolate slices are an actual thing:

Sliced ham? Sliced cheese? Sorry, but sliced chocolate is about to make everything else you can put on bread seem like chopped liver in comparison.


Despite its alcoholic-sounding name, Japanese company Bourbon actually specializes in chocolate. Still, its latest product seems like the kind of so-crazy-it’s-brilliant idea born out of a flash of heavily inebriated inspiration.