Toronto mosque offers 'detox' for extremists

[redleg99]

I originally heard this on the BBC World News podcast, but this story has been carried on several Canadian news outlets.

Interesting excerpts from the Calgary Herald:

“As Canadians of Muslim faith, it is our ardent desire to become leaders in the championing of anti-terror values,” said a document outlining the program, which is based on the idea that extremism can be fought theologically, by challenging the dark extremist vision with an alternative interpretation of Islam.

Although only a small minority of Canadian Muslims is attracted to violent extremism, the government calls it a “serious problem” and a “direct and immediate threat to Canada.”
Canadian security agencies have been conducting “interventions” on a case-by-case basis, working with imams to help steer youths away from extremism.

Rest of the story here:
http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/To...098/story.html

Interesting excerpt form CTV:

"Unfortunately, a few emotional, Internet-surfing, like-minded individuals who do what I call 'Do-It-Yourself Islam,' find themselves getting caught up in emotion and justify getting caught up in the hate that's inside them," Heft told Power Play host Tom Clark.

"They end up falling prey to people with deviant views of the religion."

But he says if one studies the tradition of Islam, going back to the orthodox scholars, "you realize these are the teachings of Islam."

And by incorporating these teachings into the mosque's program, Heft claims he's had success converting those who formerly held radical, anti-Semitic views into "productive members of society."

Rest of the story here:
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNew...hub=TopStories

The story has also been carried on islamonline.net.
The comments are interesting.

islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1233567817232&pagename=Z one-English-News/NWELayout

(link left cold - add http://www. )