Vaughan Ahmadiyya Muslims step up security after Quebec mosque killing

YorkRegion.com
Jan. 30, 2017
Tim Kelly  

Security has been stepped up at a mosque in Vaughan in the wake of a Sunday night shooting at a Quebec City mosque that killed six and wounded 19 others.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of York Region, which has a large mosque on Jane Street in Vaughan that counts thousands of members, has rallied volunteer youth and worked with the police to make sure no attacks happen there.

"We're shocked and horrified at this attack," said Safwan Choudhry, spokesperson for the Ahmadiyya Muslim Jammat. "We're heightening security at all of our prayer centres from Newfoundland to British Columbia to make sure all of the members of our community feel safe.

"We collaborate closely with the authorities, however this one (attack) even shocked them and us. It points to how things can get very volatile, very quickly."

The Ahmaddiya community did not have "any immediate threats we are aware of", Choudhry said.

The Islamic Shia Ithna-Jamaat of Toronto, which operates the Jaffari Centre at 9000 Bathust St., in Thornhill released a statement in which it said it "grieves for the devastating loss of life in an attack on a mosque in Quebec City. Our hearts, thoughts and prayers are with the families of the victims and those injured in the attack. 

As proud Canadian Muslims, we strongly condemn any act of violence and believe that our strength as a nation will always come from our diversity, never our division. We commend the Canadian authorities on their swift action in apprehending the suspects."

York Regional Police Const. Andy Pattenden said in the wake of the Quebec City attack that any place of worship is a focus for police patrols.

He asked anybody who sees any suspicious behaviour to contact police.

Local police have no specific concerns about Muslims in York Region at this particular time, Pattenden added.