Slaughter in the mosque: two years of threats and gestures of hate

Photo Jean-François Desgagnés
Mohamed Yangui, the ex-president of the islamic cultural Center of Quebec city, told the Newspaper a year after the shooting.

Nicolas Lachance

Friday, 26 January, 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Friday, 26 January, 2018 00:00

Look at this article

The mosque of Québec and the muslim community have been the target of several threats and gestures at character hate in the year before the massacre, reveals the ex-president of the islamic cultural Centre of Québec (CCIQ).

• Read also: Labeaume listening to the mayors of Las Vegas and Orlando
• Read also: Lisée calls Couillard to show ” more height “

Placed in front of the spotlight following the killing, Mohamed Yangui remained silent to the end of his mandate of chairman of the CCIQ. A year after the whirlwind of the massacre in the great mosque, the man told the Newspaper.

Even before the tragedy, Mohamed Yangui had the mandate to open dialogue with the people of Quebec. This decision was taken after the event of the head of the pig found in front of the door of the mosque in June 2016.

A business card

Threats against five grocery stores halal had also been listed. These gestures have never been made public, in the summer of 2016, as the owners feared for their safety. Individuals entered the stores, threatened and left a business card. “It was The “top dog”, have confirmed to the Newspaper one of the owners, as well as Mohamed Yangui.

The grocery store-boucherie Assalam, the owner Azzedine Soufiane passed away the evening of the killings at the mosque, had also been referred.

“We received threats. It has been a year very busy “, said Mr. Yangui.

He was also in direct contact with the Service de police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ) for these folders.

It was after these events that the ex-president has decided to take a sabbatical from his work in accounting in order to focus on the presidency of the CCIQ.

Already, he wanted to “demystify islam” to the people of Quebec and to engage in dialogue. “I tried to calm down the game. With the faithful, we have plotted the strategy of the mosque for the next few years in order to unite the community, ” said Mr Yangui.

The man has put together activities, such as BBQ, to invite the people of Quebec to come to their meeting. “We were to open them,” he said. Mohamed felt the fear in the population.

Today, he says that the government needs to continue to work in order to change attitudes. “They have to make the promotion of inclusion,” he said.

The devastating attack

And then, the worst happened. On 29 January, it is the slaughter. Elsewhere, Mohamed Yangui would also have been able to pass if his son had not had difficulty with the resolution of a math problem. A few minutes before the start of the prayer, Mohamed decided to stay to help his son Aziz. “It’s still engraved. My son tells me often that he saved my life, ” says Mr. Yangui.

MALICIOUS ACTS AGAINST THE MUSLIM COMMUNITY

• June 2016 – pig Head left outside the front door of the mosque
• July 2016 – anonymous messages of hate distributed in the city against the mosque
• August 2016 – A group identity-has made threats in five grocery stores-halal in the region, leaving visiting cards in the name of The Pack. Contacted by The Journal, The Pack maintains that he was set up to look bad in the group.
• January 29, 2017 – Slaughter in the great mosque of Quebec
• July 14, 2017 – The great mosque of Quebec receives a package in the mail that conveyed a message very surly. “You’re looking for a plot to bury your dirty carcasses ? So, here is a perfect place for you. It’s going to feel the pig anyway “, was it shown on a picture of pig pen (police investigation open).
• 6 August 2017 – The car of Mohamed Labidi, the chair of the CCIQ, burned