Has anyone heard anything about Omar Khadr? I bet a lot of you are going "Whose that?" Omar Khadr is 26 years old, a Canadian citizen and formerly a prisoner at the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison, convicted for war crimes by the United States Military Commissions Act of 2009. Khadr was convicted of murder in violation of the law of war and he provided materials to aid terrorism. [1] Khadr was born in Toronto, his father Ahmed Said Khadr came to Canada with a computer engineer degree later he moved back to Pakistan in the mid 80's. [2] Thereafter the family moved back and fourth between the GTA (Mainly the Scarborough area.) and various places throughout the middle east. Omar's father is considered al-Qaeda royalty and throughout his adult life has financially supported various terrorist acts such as Ayman al-Zawahiri's bombing of the Egyptian embassy in Pakistan [3] In 2002 he was arrested at the age of 15 after a four hour firefight in the mountains of Afghanistan.[4] Later he was charged with throwing a grenade that killed a US soldiers. For the past ten years he has been held in Guantanamo Bay where he was severely tortured but that's not my issue. He was a terrorist and was proven guilty of war crimes. What most of you wont know is that Guantanamo Bay is most likely being shut down in the very near future. Since Khadr has Canadian citizenship he will be brought back to Canada and held in maximum security prison Millhaven Institution in Bath, Ontario... (Also referred to as Guantanamo North.) Oh wait that already happened, he arrived Saturday morning. And he will be eligible for parole in six months. [6]
*A lot of this information I read in the October 1st issue of Macleans magazine I count that as a source.
That's astounding to me. But I DO see the need for the national laws to take priority. In case we've forgotten about the journalist that was held in the Middle East (I think) in a prison not too long ago. It sparked profuse anger in our country, and the media targeted that story frequently. Nations are protective of their citizens and, as I see it, it's fair that they then are forced to accept both the good and the bad. Canadian inmates on Canadian soil, just as free citizens are.
I'm a little shocked by the news of the closing of the prison, but I still think it's fair that we take our prisoners onto our soil.
I agree that Omar Khadr should be allowed back in Canada even though his war crimes were treacherous. I don't think it's fair for him to be released on parole and I think that our justice system should give him very harsh punishments especially because his mother, sister and entire community applaud his actions and he is seen as a hero in their eyes. He is very likely to re-offend and should be in a maximum security prison for a very long time, maybe even for life. He is a cold-hearted murderer and blood will be on our government and prime minister's hands.
In the Philippines, there has been a war raging for 40 years, and it has left 120,000 people dead.(1) But there will an agreement (13 pages long (2)) signed in the capital, Manila, next week.
The Muslims have been battling with the Southern Philippines, mostly Roman Catholic, for decades. The Moro Islamic community has been hosting talks between the two sides for 15 years.
There is now a plan to relieve the tension and the killing by decommissioning the guerilla of the armed rebels. They are attempting to establish a new region called Bangsamoro, a place of Muslims. This geographical divide is intended to help end the bitter tension between the two main Philippino religions.
In Canada we're raised to believe in equality in all things. We have a history for being religiously balanced. What are your thoughts on war over religion? Do you think that it's fair to fight over your beliefs? Or is it more important to work on peace and equality throughout the global community?
I think that fighting for what you think is right is okay to an extent. I do think that sometimes war is necessary only sometimes, in the right situation. I am normally a very open minded person, but I find in Barrie I am not exposed to real culture diversity. Rather than if I lived in Toronto. Most of the time I don't think of other peoples religion mostly because it doesn't bother me. If I lived in Toronto, I don't know if I could handle the diversity of culture. I think it's okay to fight over your beliefs but not to the extent of war. I think it is more important to work on peace and equality then to fight. I don't think I would step up and do anything about it though. I would rather someone else take care of it. Unless I feel they were not going about it properly.
On October 7th France has added more security at Jewish sites because of some anti-jewish events. Last month an Muslim man was believed to have thrown a grenade into a kosher grocery store.(1) Today he killed in a police raid in Strasbourg, France(1,2). Police were cracking down on terrorist networks today, raiding houses in Strasbourg, and Cannes. The big event of the day was a gunfight between Police and 33-year-old Muslim man named Jeremy Louis-Sidney.(2) Hours after this happened black shots were fired outside a synagogue.(2) On saturday, in Cannes 11 suspects have been arrested.(2) A Jewish festival called Sukkot had to be cancelled because of another shooting outside another synagogue.(2)
All these events have made the France government crack down on terrorist acts. The French president is doing all he can do to stop these terrorist events. He is meeting with Jewish leaders, added extra security and trying to implement better/stronger anti-terrorism laws.(1) French President Francois Hollande met with Jewish leaders in PAris today, telling them that the government is ready to fight these so called scourge.(1) Not to long ago Canada created a anti-terrorism law on December 18, 2001. Just shortly after the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S.(3) France has this law in place, but Mr. Hollande is trying to make it stronger because of the anti-jewish attacks.(1)
Personally I think that we, as Canadians don’t see much of these terrorism attacks because of our highly diverse country. Even though it’s not has common here it’s still a big world issue. These attacks in France show that hatred between religion beliefs, or racial opinions. Is still happening through out the world.
Has anyone heard anything about Omar Khadr? I bet a lot of you are going "Whose that?" Omar Khadr is 26 years old, a Canadian citizen and formerly a prisoner at the infamous Guantanamo Bay prison, convicted for war crimes by the United States Military Commissions Act of 2009. Khadr was convicted of murder in violation of the law of war and he provided materials to aid terrorism. [1] Khadr was born in Toronto, his father Ahmed Said Khadr came to Canada with a computer engineer degree later he moved back to Pakistan in the mid 80's. [2] Thereafter the family moved back and fourth between the GTA (Mainly the Scarborough area.) and various places throughout the middle east. Omar's father is considered al-Qaeda royalty and throughout his adult life has financially supported various terrorist acts such as Ayman al-Zawahiri's bombing of the Egyptian embassy in Pakistan [3]
ReplyDeleteIn 2002 he was arrested at the age of 15 after a four hour firefight in the mountains of Afghanistan.[4] Later he was charged with throwing a grenade that killed a US soldiers. For the past ten years he has been held in Guantanamo Bay where he was severely tortured but that's not my issue. He was a terrorist and was proven guilty of war crimes. What most of you wont know is that Guantanamo Bay is most likely being shut down in the very near future. Since Khadr has Canadian citizenship he will be brought back to Canada and held in maximum security prison Millhaven Institution in Bath, Ontario... (Also referred to as Guantanamo North.) Oh wait that already happened, he arrived Saturday morning. And he will be eligible for parole in six months. [6]
*A lot of this information I read in the October 1st issue of Macleans magazine I count that as a source.
1 - http://www.defense.gov/news/Apr2007/Khadrreferral.pdf
2 - http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2008/02/07/khadr-bio.html
3 -http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Statement_to_the_House_on_Terrorist_Financing
4 - http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/208502
5 - http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/10/01/omar-khadr-faces-uncertain-future-back-in-canada/
That's astounding to me. But I DO see the need for the national laws to take priority. In case we've forgotten about the journalist that was held in the Middle East (I think) in a prison not too long ago. It sparked profuse anger in our country, and the media targeted that story frequently. Nations are protective of their citizens and, as I see it, it's fair that they then are forced to accept both the good and the bad. Canadian inmates on Canadian soil, just as free citizens are.
DeleteI'm a little shocked by the news of the closing of the prison, but I still think it's fair that we take our prisoners onto our soil.
This comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteI agree that Omar Khadr should be allowed back in Canada even though his war crimes were treacherous. I don't think it's fair for him to be released on parole and I think that our justice system should give him very harsh punishments especially because his mother, sister and entire community applaud his actions and he is seen as a hero in their eyes. He is very likely to re-offend and should be in a maximum security prison for a very long time, maybe even for life. He is a cold-hearted murderer and blood will be on our government and prime minister's hands.
DeletePEACE! Almost.
ReplyDeleteIn the Philippines, there has been a war raging for 40 years, and it has left 120,000 people dead.(1) But there will an agreement (13 pages long (2)) signed in the capital, Manila, next week.
The Muslims have been battling with the Southern Philippines, mostly Roman Catholic, for decades. The Moro Islamic community has been hosting talks between the two sides for 15 years.
There is now a plan to relieve the tension and the killing by decommissioning the guerilla of the armed rebels. They are attempting to establish a new region called Bangsamoro, a place of Muslims. This geographical divide is intended to help end the bitter tension between the two main Philippino religions.
In Canada we're raised to believe in equality in all things. We have a history for being religiously balanced. What are your thoughts on war over religion? Do you think that it's fair to fight over your beliefs? Or is it more important to work on peace and equality throughout the global community?
1.http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/philippines/9592414/Philippines-president-announces-landmark-peace-plan-with-Muslim-rebels.html
2. http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2012/10/07/philippines-peace-agreement.html
I think that fighting for what you think is right is okay to an extent. I do think that sometimes war is necessary only sometimes, in the right situation. I am normally a very open minded person, but I find in Barrie I am not exposed to real culture diversity. Rather than if I lived in Toronto. Most of the time I don't think of other peoples religion mostly because it doesn't bother me. If I lived in Toronto, I don't know if I could handle the diversity of culture. I think it's okay to fight over your beliefs but not to the extent of war. I think it is more important to work on peace and equality then to fight. I don't think I would step up and do anything about it though. I would rather someone else take care of it. Unless I feel they were not going about it properly.
DeleteShoot. That was my weekly post for Week 4.^^^^^
DeleteThis is my weekly post.
ReplyDeleteOn October 7th France has added more security at Jewish sites because of some anti-jewish events. Last month an Muslim man was believed to have thrown a grenade into a kosher grocery store.(1) Today he killed in a police raid in Strasbourg, France(1,2). Police were cracking down on terrorist networks today, raiding houses in Strasbourg, and Cannes. The big event of the day was a gunfight between Police and 33-year-old Muslim man named Jeremy Louis-Sidney.(2) Hours after this happened black shots were fired outside a synagogue.(2) On saturday, in Cannes 11 suspects have been arrested.(2) A Jewish festival called Sukkot had to be cancelled because of another shooting outside another synagogue.(2)
All these events have made the France government crack down on terrorist acts. The French president is doing all he can do to stop these terrorist events. He is meeting with Jewish leaders, added extra security and trying to implement better/stronger anti-terrorism laws.(1) French President Francois Hollande met with Jewish leaders in PAris today, telling them that the government is ready to fight these so called scourge.(1) Not to long ago Canada created a anti-terrorism law on December 18, 2001. Just shortly after the aftermath of the September 11, 2001 attacks on U.S.(3) France has this law in place, but Mr. Hollande is trying to make it stronger because of the anti-jewish attacks.(1)
Personally I think that we, as Canadians don’t see much of these terrorism attacks because of our highly diverse country. Even though it’s not has common here it’s still a big world issue. These attacks in France show that hatred between religion beliefs, or racial opinions. Is still happening through out the world.
1- http://blogs.voanews.com/breaking-news/2012/10/07/france-beefs-up-security-at-religious-sites-after-anti-jewish-attacks/
2- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19862589
3- http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/cdnsecurity/