Abstract
Michael Zehaf-Bibeau is a lone attacker who launched a terrorist attack in Canada in 2014. Zehaf-Bibeau is believed to have been experiencing mental issues as well as a drug problem. Several years after his conversion into the Islamic religion, Zehaf-Bibeau became radicalized and started finding ways through which he could join other foreign fighters in Syria. The Canadian government had placed strict regulations at its border which led to the invalidation of his passport, an act which is believed to have provoked him. Following his displeasure with Canada's new foreign policy to deploy its soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan to fight against ISIL, he recorded a video stating his reasons before he shot a soldier and was shot while try to storm a meeting of parliamentarians. The number of Canadians joining ISIL in the war in Syria is on the rise. The Canadian government has put strict measures to limit the number of Canadians joining ISIL, but following the country’ s decision to support the United States in the war against ISIL in Iraq and Afghanistan, the move is only likely to encourage more attacks against Canada. Had Zehaf-Bibeau’s condition been discovered and treated earlier, the attack could have been prevented. The country needs to come up with more effective measures such as the Tayat program which assists members in the society to deradicalize anonymously and free of charge.
Introduction
Terrorist attacks have become more common in recent years with most attackers sympathizing with countries such as Syria, and members of the ISIL community. The traditional definition of terrorism is ineffective as lone attacks have become more common in recent years. Members who join terrorist organizations have many motivations which range from religious beliefs, personal reasons and humanitarian grounds. Most of these individuals suffer from mental issues and are victimized in the society due to their minority status, a factor that causes them to fall prey to these recruiters. Michael Zehaf-Bibeau is one such individual whose Islamic extremist ideologies led him to kill a Canadian soldier before he was shot leading to his death. The society and individuals with mental issues are becoming more susceptible to radicalization as terrorist groups continue to lure recruits through religion, a process that has been made easier with the use of the internet and social media, as the contemporary flow of information continues to provoke lone attacks from sympathizers.
Michael Zehaf-Bibeau
Following his displeasure with the parliament's action towards the military personnel, the 32-year-old Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, walked to the war memorial and killed the soldier guarding the war memorial, before proceeding to the parliament where he opened fire but was shot before he could cause more harm to others. The man’s record indicates that he has had a history of crime, drugs and violence. The man is believed to have been radical and had converted to Islam due to his radical beliefs. At one point, he requested that he be sent to jail so that he could overcome his addiction to cocaine, one of the many signs that he was mentally unstable. Among his personal communications is an email belonging to a person who had been charged with a terrorist offense. Michael had also been banished from attending a mosque after the leaders at the mosque found his behavior to be rather erratic. Shortly before his attack, he had shown interest to travel to Syria and had even applied for a passport, an act which had raised suspicion (Ahmed & Botelho, 2014). Looking back into the events that followed, perhaps this was part of his plan. Investigations into his social media accounts indicated that he had no connections to any jihadist networks. Investigations into the matter later revealed that Michael acted alone and had no allies in his attack. Friends and family later testified that he wanted to move to an Islamic nation with the claims that he did not fit in Canada. He had constantly expressed extreme Islamist views which alarmed those around him. Lone wolf terrorism is a growing trend across the globe.
Historical evaluation
Michael is said to have changed location over six times. Michael was born in 1982 to a Libyan father and Canadian father who were divorced. During his adult years, he frequently changed places and jobs. In 2004, he was charged with the possession of drugs in Quebec and was jailed for 60 days after pleading guilty to the charges . According to officials, his criminal record was well developed even though it had nothing to do with matters of national security. In 2011, he requested that he be sent to jail to deal with his addiction to cocaine . A further assessment of the incidence indicated that as a Muslim, he felt that the only way he could be redeemed of his addiction was by serving a sentence in jail. Michael had not always been a Muslim but had only converted in 2004 . At some point, after he had converted, he became radicalized, although the reason behind his radicalization is yet to be identified. Muslim leaders at a mosque he was attending found his behavior erratic and asked him to stop attending prayers at the mosque. A friend disclosed that he had suspected that he was mentally ill since he believed that the devil was after him, and he often referred to supernatural spirits. He had traveled to the United States 4 times, with his most recent visit being in 2013. He is also believed to have been involved in the Libyan civil war of 2011 as a fighter . He had shown the interest to move to Syria with claims that he intended to study there, and the denial of his passport is believed to have provoked his attack. His mother stated that the denial of the passport made him feel trapped and he felt like his only way out was death. Zehaf-Bibeau had jihadist connections in Canada, and one of them is believed to have gone to fight in Syria. One of his connection is a man by the name Yusufzai, who was wanted by the Canadian authorities. Yusufzai is believed to have traveled to Syria to fight with the Islamist extremist on numerous occasions . His connections were made through social networks online and also included Islamic extremist websites. Investigations disclosed that he lacked operational links which were often used when planning an attack. The Canadian authorities also admitted that they had a list of 90 Canadians who were suspected of having ties with extremist Islamist, but he was not one of them . The authorities also admitted that there was no clear path or formula which could be used to predict radical behavior. Zehaf-Bibeau seemed unaffected by Christians, but he also did not frequent the mosque in the period before the attack.
Ideological evaluation
In a video made through his phone, Michael stated that he was displeased with Canada’s foreign policy following the country’s decision to deploy its military personnel in Afghanistan and Iraq. In the video, he stated that he wanted to attack soldiers so that the Canadians would be aware that they were also not safe in their own country . He insisted that he believed that countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan were looking to create religious peace in their countries, and other countries should remain in their own countries instead of going to other countries to kill the righteous (CBC, 2015).
Operational evaluation
Zehaf-Bibeau was a mentally disturbed individuals whose behavior was erratic. At a certain point, he had become radicalized and had even been thrown out of a mosque due to erratic behavior. He had expressed Islamist extremist messages on a number of occasions. In 2011, he participated in the Libyan civil war. He had also made connections with other jihadists such as Yusufzai, but he had not acquired any operational links. He later expressed interests to travel to Syria to study, but his friends and family suspected that he had other reasons . He applied for a passport which was denied on the basis that he was a high-interest person. Following Canada’s foreign policy to support the United States by deploying its military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan, he had later felt motivated to launch an attack on Canada. He recorded a video expressing his displeasure with Canada’s decision before he walked to the war memorial and shot the unarmed soldier who was guarding the grounds . He later tried to access the parliamentary where the parliamentarians were having a meeting, but he was stopped and killed by guards at the building.
Outcome-based evaluation
The actions of Michael, which led to his death following 31 gun shots, are believed to have been preventable had his issues been discovered earlier, through mental health counseling . He is believed to have suffered from both mental and drug problems, and even if he had survived the shooting that followed his actions, he would have been charged with terrorist offenses. Michael, just like many who fall victim to ISIL, are believed to suffer from mental problems. The police have an obligation to seek out such individuals and provide them with the professional mental health assistance to prevent such incidences from happening.
Impact of contemporary flow of information
The contemporary flow of information is one of the many factors which is playing into the advantage of many terrorists in the world today. Statistics reveal that the number of Canadians joining ISIL and traveling to Syria as foreign fighters is on the rise. The 2014 attacks which are believed to have been committed by lone actors are believed to have been spurred by the parliamentarians’ decision to deploy its soldiers to Syria to fight the ISIL fighters . This decision has brought mixed reactions from supporters of the ISIL community leading to many Canadians deciding to travel to Syria to join the fight. The disclosure of this information to the public by the government has put Canada in a vulnerable position as many sympathizers with ISIL now perceive Canada as their enemy. By so doing, the parliamentarians have also placed a target on the back of Canadian soldiers in the country. The choice of the location of the attack is also another decision which was made as a result of the flow of information in the country. The day that Zehaf-Bibeau launched the attack, the parliamentarians were having a meeting in the building, a factor which played well with the plans by the attacker since he was displeased with the parliamentarians and wished to settle his score with them . One of the bullets managed to penetrate into the room but luckily no further damage was done. Attackers often aim to launch attacks in areas which are crowded with people who hold opposing views, and this information is easily accessible, a factor which continues to make people prone to terrorist attacks.
Potential for this menace to grow
Lone terrorism is a menace which is on the rise. The lone wolf terrorism does not fit the initial definition of terrorism which focused on terror attacks committed by groups of people. Lone terrorists are responsible for the most innovative terrorist attacks. Their tactics are later adopted and used by fellow terrorist groups to conduct violence against the people. Some of the most famous terrorist attacks that were the first of their kind include the first plane bombing which took place in 1955, the first plane hijacking in 1991 and product contamination (Richman & Sharan, 2015). Lone wolf terrorist are dangerous since the decision-making process is easy for them since groups do not restrict them. Lone wolfs also have no limitation with their attacks since they do not fear the criticism or alienation of their supporters as is the case of group attacks.
Recruitment into the Islamist movements has been on the rise especially with the use of social media. Victims are lured by jihadist messages through the internet, and eventually, they become radicalized. Over time, these individuals acquire equipment and weapons which enable them to launch attacks. The FBI has over 1,000 pending cases concerning the Islamist extremist persons in the United States (Parker). ISIS has managed to recruit thousands of recruits in the United States alone which is proof that the movement is attracting many sympathizers into its course.
Close to 130 Canadians are believed to have joined the foreign fighters in its course, together with another 300 Americans. This makes the Canadian participation higher than that of the United States, especially with the consideration of the fact that the Muslim population in the United States is 5 percent as compared to the 3.2 percent in Canada . The populations in the two countries mean that at least 1 American in a million has become radicalized, as compared to the 2 Canadians in a million. The Muslim religion, even though it is constantly caught up the issue of terrorism, does not mean that there is a direct relationship between Islam and terrorism. The proximity of Canada to Syria and other Islamic states is also another reason why the participation of Canadians in the terrorist groups is higher. As a result of the stereotyping of the Islam religion, the Muslim minorities are feeling marginalized, a factor that recruiters are using to their advantage. Another troubling trend is that in recent years, Islamist extremists are convert Muslims . With Canada having joined the fight against the ISIL, sympathizers with countries such as Iraq are likely to increase, while ISIL targets those who are against countries such as the United States, within these countries to help them launch attacks among them. By making the decision to fight against Iraq and Afghanistan, Canada brought a target upon itself, a target which is likely to stick long after the ISIL community has been defeated. Of the many individuals who become radicalized, most of them are recruited online for religious reasons. Of these individuals, only 4 percent become deradicalised (Noonan, 2014). These individuals are willing to travel to countries like Syria to fight, and most of them remain in these countries fighting.
One of the many actions taken by the Canadian government to deal with radicalization includes invalidating passports and revoking citizenships of citizens who are believed to travel outside the country as foreign fighters (Baker, 2014). These actions sometimes result in unintended actions as was the case with Zehaf-Bibeau. Zehaf-Bibeau passport was invalidated with the claims that he was a high-risk person, an act that encouraged his terrorist attacks. It is important to note that in the same year, 2014, another radical Islamist extremist by the name Martin Couture-Roulure had killed a soldier by running him over with his car . Couture-roulure’s passport had also been seized at the airport as he tried to fly to Turkey and later on to Syria to fight. This tactic may fail to work with individuals who have high levels of discipline and are able to maintain a low profile.
Following these incidences, some individuals think that it would be more effective if Canada allowed those individuals who wished to join the foreign fighters to do so. Their argument is that of the many who join the foreign fighters, only 11 percent of them come back from war. Those who come from war, are less likely to go back and will discourage others who wish to join the war with their tales of war. However, these individuals should, however, be monitored closely by authorities and are likely to lead the authorities to other radical individuals in the society. Many returnees who disagree with Canada’s foreign policy are less likely to launch actual attacks on Canada (The Mackenzie Institute, 2015).
Why Canadians are joining ISIL
Most individuals who join the foreign fighters in Syria attribute their decision to humanitarianism. Once these individuals have left Canada, most of them are unable to return and therefore there is no feedback to refute or confirm these claims. Others are in the search of an identity which is provided by Islamist groups fighting for their own cause in the Islamic states. Personal reasons also motivate certain individuals to become radicalized. For instance, some believe fighting in a Jihad war is the perfect way through which they can achieve retribution for their sins (Anzalone, 2015). The media is also playing a major role in influencing the decision of Canadians into becoming foreign fighters. Media overemphasizes the situation of oppressed civilians in Syria, causing Canadians to sympathize with them (Kubarych, 2001).
The ISIL has managed to attract the attention of lone wolf attackers in western countries. Through media presence, these groups have managed to encourage sympathizers to launch attacks on their countries in support of their ideologies. Most of these recruits are recruits who seem to lack sufficient information on the Islamic religion. The number of recruits joining this groups is likely to decrease for a number of reasons which includes the tightening of rules by the Canadians authorities as well as the fact that ISIL is losing its territory in Iraq (Bureau of Counterterrorism, 2015). This is likely to be damaging to the groups image, which will discourage more members from joining the group.
Recommendations
Passive groups might also be more effective for individuals who wish to be deradicalized. The program is also effective with the members of the society who are worried about members of their family showing signs of radicalization, individuals with family members who have just returned from war, and individuals with family members who are radicalized. The program which is run anonymously, privately and free of charge was first introduced in Germany, to enable the neo-Nazi group members to exit the program in 2,000, and has proved to be highly effective . The program is referred to as Hayat, an Arabic word which means life.
Conclusion
In conclusion, individuals with mental issues are more likely to fall victims to recruitment in terrorist organizations in Canada, especially due to the new foreign policy and the contemporary flow of information which enables attackers to launch attacks against Canada. Canada has been on the forefront of the war against terrorism. Although many Canadians have been reported to have joined the Syrian war, the country has only experienced two lone attacks in the country in 2014. The country needs to be more strict on its regulations especially those governing the country’s borders. Individuals such as Michael Zehaf-Bibeau are denied passports by the Canadian authorities, but the move alone is not enough to fight terrorism. Interventions which assist these individuals will be more effective, as stopping them from traveling does not prevent them from launching attacks against Canada.
References
Ahmed, S., & Botelho, G. (2014, October 24). Who is Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, the man behind the deadly Ottawa attack? CNN.
Anzalone, C. (2015). Why Are Dozens of Canadians Fighting for ISIS and Al Qaeda in Iraq and Syria. CTC Sentinel.
Baker, D. M. (2014). The Effects of Tourism on the Travel and Tourism Industry. International Journal of Religious Tourism and Pilgrimage, 57-67.
Bureau of Counterterrorism. (2015, June). Country Reports on Terrorism 2014. Retrieved from State department of of state publication: http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/239631.pdf
CBC. (2015, March 6). 6 things we learned about Michael Zehaf-Bibeau and Parliament Hill shooting. CBC News .
Kubarych, R. M. (2001, September 11). Aftermath of the Terrorist Attack: Economic, Financial and Policy Consequences. Retrieved from Council on Foreign Relations: http://www.cfr.org/terrorism-and-the-economy/aftermath-terrorist-attack-economic-financial-policy-consequences/p4041
Noonan, M. (2014). North American Foreign Fighters. Journal for Deradicalization, 66-96.
Parker, R. J. (n.d.). Radical Islamic Terrorism in America Today.
Richman, A., & Sharan, Y. (2015). Lone actors -- an emerging security threat. Amsterdam: IOS Press.
The Mackenzie Institute. (2015, October). Security Matters. Retrieved from The Mackenzie Institute: http://www.mackenzieinstitute.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/MI-SECURITY-MATTERS_October-20151.pdf
