“Homegrowns” in North America: the changing face of radical Islamism, and its implications for Canada–United States relations

Abstract

This article argues that, paradoxical as it might seem, the rise of “homegrown terrorism” over the past several years will serve to reinforce the security bonds between the United States and Canada, in a way radically different from the impact of the 9/11 attacks upon the two neighbours. Its focus is upon the events of recent years, both in North America and abroad, associated with radical Islamists and the responses thereto.

Cet article soutient que, aussi paradoxal que cela paraisse, l'extension du « terrorisme intérieur » ces quelques dernières années servira à renforcer les liens de sécurité entre les États-Unis et le Canada, d'une manière radicalement différente de celle qui s'est révélée à la suite des attaques du 11 septembre 2001 sur ces deux pays voisins. L'accent est mis sur les événements de ces dernières années - en Amérique du Nord comme à l’étranger – qui sont associés aux islamismes radicaux et aux ripostes à leur encontre.

Keywords:

• Canada–United States relations
• homeland security
• homegrown terrorism

Notes

1. The bombers, 26-year-old Tamerlan Tsarnaev and his 19-year-old brother, Dzhokhar, were ethnic Chechens born in the former Soviet Union who resettled in the United States during the past decade; Dzhokhar became an American citizen on 11 September 2012, while his older brother's citizenship application was in process at the time he died in a shootout with police in the early hours of Friday 19 April. See Schwartz (2013, pp. 1, 12).

2. Two other Canadians from the same high school are also thought to be implicated in homegrown terrorist activities, Mujahid Enderi and Aaron Yoon. See Brewster et al. (2013).

3. We say “possibly even surreal” because a precedent exists in respect of this struggle over the meaning of the Constitution, for President Lincoln certainly authorized, during the Civil War, the killing of United States citizens without apprehending, trying, and convicting them; these were soldiers of the Confederate army, and they were slain by the thousands.

4. The plotters sought to purchase three tons of ammonium nitrate to serve as the basis for truck bombs that would be set off in front of a number of symbolic locations across Ontario. This amount of ammonium nitrate was three times greater than the quantity used by Timothy McVeigh when he killed 168 people in Oklahoma City in April 1995.

5. Cf. the balanced assessment by Frost (2005).

6. We have relied on data generated by Adams (2007) in this and the previous paragraph.

7. This multidimensional bilateral initiative was launched by President Obama and Prime Minister Harper at a meeting in Washington on 4 February 2011, under the ambitious title “Beyond the Border: A Shared Vision for Perimeter Security and Economic Competitiveness.” The intent is to deepen bilateral cooperation not only in respect of security, but also of trade, law enforcement and critical infrastructure (including cybersecurity). See Government of Canada (2011).