[LINK] Two articles on Canadian terrorists abroad

[rfmcdonald]

The first article responding to confirmation that Canadians were involved in the recent In Anemas terrorist attack in Algeria is a CBC followup, "Canadians in Algeria attack went overseas with 3rd man".

CBC News has learned that Aaron Yoon, now about 24, is likely the only survivor among this perverse band of brothers, two of whom died while staging a bloody attack on an Algerian oil refinery three months ago.

International intelligence sources say Yoon, a Canadian of Korean descent, flew to North Africa with three others, but wound up in jail before the al-Qaeda attack in January that killed 37 refinery workers in Algeria.

Two of Yoon’s former London schoolmates, Xris Katsiroubas and Ali Medlej, were among several dozen al-Qaeda-linked militants involved in the attack.

Sources say the two probably blew themselves up at the end of the four-day siege, but only one could be identified through DNA tests.

There is no evidence Yoon ever intended to participate in the attack, even if he had not been incarcerated, and his brother says Aaron has had no contact with the others in over a year.

The second is Stewart Bell's National Post article "Desire to fit in with Muslim community can push ‘bitter and isolated’ converts to jihad: experts". The claim does make a certain amount of sense, even including stereotypes of zealous converts.

Muhammad Robert Heft, who heads Paradise Forever, a Toronto-based non-profit group that helps converts, said those new to the faith sometimes find themselves marginalized by both the mainstream Muslim community and their families and friends.

“If you’re getting ostracized and rejected by both communities, you can become bitter and isolated,” he said. “During that kind of vulnerable period of time, they’re susceptible to more radical teachings or brainwashings on the Internet,” he said.

[. . .]

Ray Boisvert, a former CSIS official who now heads the consulting firm I-Sec Integrated Strategies, said the number of converts involved in terrorism was small and the focus on them may stem merely from the fact they stand out.

But he compared their situation to that of a “striker,” a prospective member of an outlaw biker gang. “The guy is not patched yet and feels he has to work twice as hard to demonstrate his worthiness. So I think the convert might be inclined to go fast, go hard because they feel they have to prove to others … ‘I’m a true believer.’”