RCMP critical of national anti-terrorist handbook

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This article was published 29/09/2014 (3489 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

RCMP say a national anti-terrorist handbook launched Monday in Winnipeg to counter Islamic State and al-Qaida extremists on Canadian soil has an “adversarial tone” and the police force no longer backs the publication.

United Against Terrorism is a 38-page booklet and 14-month effort by the locally based Islamic Social Services Association, the National Council of Canadian Muslims and the RCMP. It will be distributed to Muslim groups across Canada.

“The safety and security of citizens is of the utmost importance to the RCMP, and we take any threat to the security of Canadians and their livelihood seriously,” said RCMP media relations officer Sgt. Greg Cox in an email on Tuesday.

“The RCMP contributed to Section 3 of the handbook entitled Understanding Radicalization and the role of RCMP in law enforcement and national security. We are not responsible for other material contained in this publication.

“After a final review of the handbook, the RCMP could not support the adversarial tone set by elements of the booklet and therefore directed RCMP Manitoba not to proceed with this initiative.”

Cox’s email offered no examples of what the RCMP see as the booklet’s “adversarial tone.”

While Cox could not be reached Tuesday night for further comment, Shahina Siddiqui, president of the Islamic Social Services Association, said Tuesday she doesn’t know what is being referred to in terms of the “adversarial tone.”

“I don’t. That has not been related to me,” Siddiqui said, noting she understood the RCMP press release reference referred to “elements” of the booklet, not the whole thing.

The booklet was rolled out at the downtown Winnipeg Central Mosque Monday with dignitaries such as Winnipeg police Chief Devon Clunis and Manitoba Attorney General Andrew Swan present.

The RCMP did not send a representative Monday.

Siddiqui said although she doesn’t know what is meant by “adversarial tone,” the RCMP statement is fine with her.

She said a disclaimer on the inside cover of the handbook states that “Contributors are only responsible for their respective contributions and do not necessarily endorse other material contained in this publication,” and absolves the RCMP of any link to the other two parts of the handbook.

“That disclaimer is right on the handbook and it applies to all three of us, that we are responsible for our section so that’s nothing new,” Siddiqui said, referring to the Islamic Social Services Association and the National Council of Canadian Muslims, in addition to the RCMP.

“We knew before the press conference that they couldn’t come, we were informed that their NHQ (national headquarters) had some issues, we weren’t told what. But we were fine with that because basically it is not an RCMP handbook. They contributed what they did, and they did a very good job and we appreciate it, and the disclaimer is right there.”

She said the disclaimer was included because the three contributors to the handbook come from their own perspectives.

greg.lockert@freepress.mb.ca

ashley.prest@freepress.mb.ca