A Montreal woman who is currently detained in Syria has been denied government assistance to return to Canada due to the potential security threat she poses, according to her lawyer, Lawrence Greenspon. Global Affairs Canada stated that based on security assessments, the woman does not qualify for government assistance. She is one of three Canadian women who are still held at camps for foreign prisoners captured during the fight against ISIS. While the government is making arrangements to bring two Edmonton women back to Canada, Ms. J does not meet the criteria for “extraordinary assistance” under the government’s policy on ISIS detainees.
According to Greenspon, Global Affairs Canada believes that Ms. J adheres to extremist ideological beliefs and there is a concern that she may engage in violent activities that pose a security threat in Canada. The government claims that it lacks the ability to prevent such conduct from occurring. However, Greenspon disagrees and suggests that the government could press charges against her or seek a terrorism peace bond from the courts to mitigate any potential risks. The decision leaves Ms. J with a difficult choice of whether to allow her children to return to Canada without her or to keep the family together in the prison camp.
Currently, there are seven Canadian women who have returned home from the detention camps, with only one being charged and five being subject to terrorism peace bonds. Peace bonds impose restrictions on suspects, such as ankle monitors and internet bans, in order to mitigate risks and protect public safety.
Additionally, four Canadian men remain in custody in Syria, including Muhammad Ali, a self-admitted ISIS sniper. The government was ordered by the Federal Court to repatriate these men, but officials appealed the decision and it was ultimately overturned. The Kurdish-led administration in northeast Syria plans to hold public trials for the approximately 4,000 foreign ISIS members in its custody, welcoming monitors, observers, experts, and lawyers to ensure fairness.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has highlighted the long-term threat posed by Canadian Extremist Travellers (CETs) in its recent annual report. Although CET returnees may not immediately engage in extremist violence, they still pose a national security risk and may eventually participate in activities such as fundraising, network maintenance, radicalization, and recruitment.
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