Community leaders worry about increased radicalization risk after arrest of youth in Ottawa

Though the details surrounding the most recent arrest in Ottawa remain unknown, community leaders and experts say they're worried the ongoing Israel-Hamas war has led to an uptick in antisemetic and Islamophobic hate, and risks increased radicalization of youth.

The RCMP in Ottawa announced Saturday they had arrested a youth and charged them with two offences, one relating to knowingly "instructing, directly or indirectly, a person to carry out a terrorist activity against Jewish persons." Police have not released additional information due to the person's age.

But the RCMP did take the opportunity Saturday to note what they described as a concerning trend in online radicalization, including the arrest of five youths for terror-related offences since the summer.

"I think this is deeply concerning on multiple levels," said Sikander Hashmi, an imam based in Ottawa.

"One thing I think that all Canadians can agree upon is that we deeply enjoy the safety and security in this country that this country has to offer. And when that safety and security is threatened, regardless of who it's by or who it's against, that is of concern to all Canadians, including members of our community," he told CBC News in an interview on Sunday.

Hashmi emphasized that the details of the specific Ottawa case were still unclear, but that based on the past, events like the Israel-Hamas war could have a radicalizing effect.

"Clearly these types of horrific tragedies and horrific instances of war and pain and grief can certainly be used to try to radicalize young people," he said.

"When you think about young people who are even more so exposed to the horrific images because it's flooding their social media streams ... we're not in a good place right now."

Jewish community leaders told CBC on Sunday they were dismayed to hear of the alleged terror threat and that it was certainly linked to a rise in antisemetism since the beginning of the Israel-Hamas war.

"I've been saying it over and over again. If things aren't going to get better, they're going to get worse. And here they got worse," said Rabbi Idan Scher of the Congregation Machzikei Hadas in Ottawa.

Scher praised the co-operation of Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and police in the city in helping to maintain confidence in the safety of the Jewish community, but said it was clear there was a spike in antisemetic sentiment and actions.

"I definitely think since October 7th, people have felt emboldened to express hate against the Jewish community," he said.

Sarah Beutel, interim CEO of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, told Radio-Canada that the alleged threat "does show a clear line of what we've been saying: that antisemitism and acts of antisemitism and hateful speech lead to acts of violence."

Beutel said the Jewish community is very concerned about the arrest but will not allow it or other instances of antisemetism to interfere with their lives.