Mike Sholars
Features Editor
Former York student Salman Hossain, who was suspended last year after he admitted he created the website FilthyJewishTerrorists.com, briefly had his website appear online again last month before it was taken down.
He was added to Interpol’s wanted list in fall 2010.
The website, now registered under the name FilthyJewishTerrorists.org, was back online Dec. 23, 2010, and was disabled the night of Jan. 3, 2011.
“There were grounds to lay charges [against Hossain] under the hate crimes provisions under the Criminal Code,” said Sgt. Pierre Chamberland of the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP). “The OPP provided information on that to the Ministry […] as a result of that, an arrest warrant was obtained for Mr. Hossain.”
Hossain reportedly left Canada in March 2010, and was abroad when the warrants were issued; he has yet to return.
The Interpol website lists the charges against Hossain as crimes against life and health; and organized crime/transnational crime. Interpol, the world’s largest international police force with 188 member countries, was approached by the OPP through the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in fall 2010.
“As a Jewish student at York, I’m deeply appreciative of the continued efforts of the Attorney General,” said Brandon Crandall, president of Hillel@York.
“It should be comforting for York students to know that he’ll never return to Canada unless he’s be- hind bars.”
As of the publication date, Hossain’s whereabouts are unknown. Chamberland confirmed that the OPP “are actively seeking for his arrest and, if he doesn’t come back to Canada, for his extradition.”
The site’s new contact page included the name and phone number of a Jacksonville, Florida resident, but the number has apparently been disconnected.
Vanessa Hunt, v-p campus life of York Federation Students, said that racism – in any form – should not be tolerated.
I don’t think there is a place for anti-Semitism anywhere – not on our campus, not in the world,” said Hunt. “I think this is a real learning experience to remind people just because racism and anti-Semitism are not overt and in your face anymore doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist.”
