Calgary Islamist who fought with ISIS is dead, reports say
A Calgary man who fought overseas with the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham (ISIS) is dead, according to social media reports.
came from a Somali-Canadian family in Calgary. In April, he appeared in a video for the radical Islamic group ISIS, speaking in English and threatening Canada.
In the video, Mr. Shirdon, identified by CBC, wears glasses and can be seen tearing up and burning what appears to be his passport. He sends a threatening message to Canadians and Americans.
“This is a message to Canada and all the American tyrants: We are coming and we will destroy you, with permission from Allah the almighty,” he said mostly in English. “I left comfort for one reason alone. For Allah.”
On Friday, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade said it is aware of reports a Canadian died overseas.
“We are aware of reports that a Canadian was killed in Iraq. We are following the situation closely,” a spokesperson said in an email.
Mohamed Jama, president of the Somali Canadian Society of Calgary, said he knows Mr. Shirdon’s family, who are members of the society.
“They’re a normal family,” said Mr. Jama. “I haven’t seen anything to indicate that they are different from any other family in Calgary from the Somali community.”
Mr. Jama said he has met Mr. Shirdon’s mother and believes he has sisters as well.
“It’s very hard for his family,” he said. “Even the parents have no idea why this young man has [gone] to join this radical group.”
Mr. Jama was unaware Mr. Shirdon had been killed, calling the news “shocking.”
He said the Somali community in Calgary didn’t understand why Mr. Shirdon decided to radicalize.
“It’s very hard to believe,” he said. “Especially a young person who grew up in the Western [world] and goes to a place he has no ethnicity, no community, no language.”
Mr. Jama called the actions of ISIS a “killing phenomena.”
“This thing is beyond the family, it is beyond the community, it’s a global phenomenon,” he said.
National Post