But threat of homegrown terrorism is alive and well, experts say
After four years, the Toronto 18 terror cell story closed Wednesday with the convictions of 11 members. But experts warn there is no end to the threat of homegrown religious extremism among Muslim youth in Canada, the Toronto Star reports. Community members and security experts say Muslim youth are being radicalized by the extremist community online and behind the closed doors of private prayer rooms. There is also the problem of young radicals travelling overseas from Canada to countries such as Somalia and Pakistan to fight jihad. The trend is especially troubling for Canada’s spy agency, which is tracking people with possible links to terrorism. “Terrorism on Canadian soil is a real threat,” says RCMP Supt. Jamie Jagoe, who until recently oversaw all national security investigations in Ontario. “There was a number of individuals who were involved in a conspiracy, who were willing to commit an attack on Canadian soil, which would have caused, most likely, large-scale mass casualties and death.”