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Gazette – April 5, 2007
Explosion at Jewish community centre
sets off calls for hate-crimes unit
Michelle LaLonde
A homemade bomb that exploded at the entrance to a Jewish community centre in Snowdon late Tuesday has some members of Montreal's Jewish community demanding police set up a permanent hate-crimes squad.
Police were called at 11:15 p.m. Tuesday by employees of the YM-YWHA Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre, also known as the Snowdon Y, who heard an explosion at the facility's main entrance on Westbury Ave.
No one was injured in the blast, no damage occurred to the building and no threats or claims of responsibility have been reported, police said.
But Joachim Normand, executive director of the Canadian Jewish Congress, Quebec Region, said the incident has shaken the community.
"We are stunned at this appalling attack on a Jewish community institution, which is doubly offensive because once again this attack comes as Jews celebrate Passover," he said.
Normand said the incident brings back painful memories of the firebombing of the Skver-Toldos Jewish Boys School in Outremont on Sept. 2 last year, and the firebombing of a United Talmud Torahs school in St. Laurent on April 5, 2004. There was extensive damage in both those attacks, but no injuries.
The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations also condemned Tuesday's attack, noting a Muslim school in St. Laurent was the target of vandalism on the night of Jan. 16. Rocks and bricks were thrown through windows and doors were broken at Les Jeunes Musulmans Canadiens in that incident. No one was injured.
"Criminal attacks against religious and community institutions do nothing but create tension in our neighbourhoods and cities," said Sarah Algazzar, Montreal co-ordinator of the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations.
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=70c8d42d-440c-4051-ba1f-5c078cc0641a
Canadian Muslims condemn attack
on Montreal Jewish community center
OTTAWA, CANADA - April 4, 2007 - The Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-CAN) today condemned the attack at Ben Weider Jewish Community Centre in Montreal. A small object exploded outside the building at 11 p.m. Tuesday night. No one was injured, but several employees were startled.
"We are asking anyone with information on the incident to contact police and assist with their investigation," said Sarah Elgazzar, CAIR-CAN's Montreal Coordinator.
"Criminal attacks against religious and community institutions do nothing but create tension in our neighbourhoods and cities.
"It's critical that public authorities and elected officials act responsibly to ensure all are allowed freedom of belief - as enshrined in the Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms - and that criminals and bigots do not erode that value," said Karl Nickner, CAIR-CAN's Executive Director.
In a similar incident on January 16, Les Jeunes Musulmans Canadiens, a Montreal Muslim school, had 17 of its windows smashed and 20 doors broken. No charges were ever laid in the case, nor was the matter investigated by Montreal Police as a hate crime.
Also in 2004, a fire destroyed the library at the Talmud Torah Jewish School in Montreal. Two men were charged in connection to the crime.
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