Justin Trudeau says a lot of stupid things, but this week, the Prime Minister has outdone himself.
According to Trudeau, ISIS fighters can be “an extraordinarily powerful voice” in Canada.
In a year-end interview with CTV, Trudeau was asked several questions about national security – revealing the Liberal government’s various blind spots when it comes to combatting Islamist terrorism.
First, when asked about his government’s decision to extend an apology and $10.5 million settlement to convicted al-Qaida terrorist Omar Khadr, Trudeau sounded indignant.
“I am frustrated and outraged about having to make that settlement,” said Trudeau.
“Frustrated and outraged”?
It was Trudeau’s government that decided to settle with Khadr and not fight back in court.
It was his government that landed on the $10.5 million figure, his government that effectively blocked attempts from Khadr’s victims – the Speer family – to try and recover the money, and Trudeau’s office that initially attempted to hide the deal from the public.
It was also Trudeau’s government that offered Khadr an apology.
If Trudeau is “frustrated and outraged,” he’s only got himself to blame.
The interview went from bad to worse when Trudeau was asked about his controversial belief ISIS fighters can be de-radicalized and re-integrated into Canada.
Last month, Trudeau said he wants to work with ISIS fighters and “help them to let go of that terrorist ideology”.
Trudeau doubled down on this nonsense, explaining his hope for ISIS fighters in Canada.
“We know that actually someone who has engaged and turned away from that hateful ideology can be an extraordinarily powerful voice for preventing radicalization in future generations and younger people within the community,” he said.
These terrorists aren’t even back in Canada yet and Trudeau is already envisioning speaking tours and book deals for them.
Not only does he assume returning terrorists have “turned away” from their jihadist ideology, he imagines they’ll perform a welcome duty within Muslim communities in Canada.
Does he think Canadian mosques and Islamic schools will open their doors to an ISIS jihadist who has “engaged” in terrorism?
Trudeau’s statement reveals something he has long denied: that radicalization can occur within the Muslim community.
Worse, he seems to believe Muslims in Canada are so desperate for leadership they could use the help of a jihadist to speak to “younger people within the community”.
Trudeau’s willingness to enlist jihadists as community ambassadors blurs the important distinction between ordinary Muslims and violent extremists, doing no favours to Canadian Muslims.
Worst of all, Trudeau’s naïve assumptions about ISIS fighters omit the prospect of justice for the victims of Islamic State genocide and war crimes.
ISIS members went overseas to join a terrorist organization – a crime under Canada’s criminal code.
Once in Syria and Iraq, these thugs were complicit in genocide against Yazidis and Christians, selling women into slavery, throwing gay men off rooftops and beheading journalists and aid workers.
A teenager sitting in his basement watching jihadist propaganda and nodding approval is engaging in a “hateful ideology”.
ISIS fighters have put that hateful ideology into action by traveling across the world to join an Islamist death cult.
That’s a serious crime, not a minor indiscretion that can be easily forgiven.
If Trudeau welcomes ISIS fighters back into Canada, his statement will be more accurate than he realizes.
These ISIS thugs certainly would be an “extraordinarily powerful voice” in Canada – in recruiting and radicalizing the next generation of jihadist maniacs.
