Latest News

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

RCMP treating three U of M students as missing

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 10/1/2010 1:21 PM | Comments: 0 (including replies)

Three young Muslim men have been the subject of a global search since they left Winnipeg for Pakistan in 2007, says today's Globe & Mail.

Ferid Imam, Muhannad al-Farekh and Miawand Yar boarded a plane bound for Pakistan via Europe and dropped all contact with their Winnipeg families and friends.

Assistant Commissioner Bill Robinson, commanding officer for RCMP in Manitoba, said Friday the students at this point are being treated as missing persons.

Their decision to leave, and a subsequent at-times intense investigation by RCMP have left many Muslim families in Winnipeg stressed, Shahina Siddiqui, executive director of the Islamic Social Services Association, said this morning.

"We don't know why the investigation --- the community has not been told anything by the authorities," Siddiqui said.

She said that it appears the three young men left the University of Manitoba, and voluntarily travelled to Pakistan without telling their families. "They're adults, they have their passports," she said. "These are young men who decided to go, we don't know where, we don't know why.

"It's been going on for three years. Families have come to me for stress and counselling," Siddiqui said.

Siddiqui said that the RCMP have repeatedly interviewed other young Muslim men in the city. "It's the persistence that was the most troubling --- it was show up at home, show up at school. Are they themselves under investigation?" she said.

The families of the three young men "are in bad shape," and have asked that the media leave them alone, said Siddiqui.

"I kept telling The Globe and Mail, you have to understand how delicate the situation is," Siddiqui said. Reputations can be ruined, she said, pointing out that the environment for Muslims is very sensitive.

The three young men have been the subject of an investigation encompassing CSIS, the RCMP counter-terrorism unit and the FBI, says The Globe and Mail. The paper calls the search for the three young men "one of Canada's most expensive and elaborate national security investigations since 9/11."

Imam was an honours student from East Africa, al-Farekh was a Texas-born business student who grew up in the United Arab Emirates and was educated in Jordan, and Miawand was studying mechanical engineering at the University of Manitoba when he was accused of selling crack to an undercover police officer in 2003.

The story placed the three men in Peshawar and the mountainous region of Waziristan, a magnet for insurgents. Many Winnipeg members of their family and friends have been questioned extensively about their disappearance and their suspected absorption into the radical Islam.

"Of course the RCMP is concerned with the radicalization of youth if in fact that is occurring," Robinson said. "But again, I’m not going to comment regarding any ongoing investigations whether it does exist or doesn’t exist, however, it is a concern when youth gone missing."

Robinson also would not comment of if RCMP have interviewed the families of the three students or when local authorities became informed they were missing.

Attorney General Andrew Swan said Friday morning he was aware of the matter but that he could not discuss it.

"We get regular briefings from our law enforcement agencies, but I'm not able to comment at this time," he said.

"The law enforcement agencies in Manitoba will be cooperating nationally and providing any information needed, but I don't have anything to add to that as attorney general."

Who are the three missing Winnipeg men? They went to school here, played on sports teams and are now the subject of a CSIS/FBI investigation. If you knew them personally and can help fill in the blanks for our readers, contact the Free Press at city.desk@freepress.mb.ca

(You must be logged in to post your reaction)

Your reaction?

More Latest News

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.