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Founded Canada's first twelve-step religiopolitical radicalization prevention program
Ahmed Amiruddin (born 1978) pioneered the Canadian concept of a systematic radicalization prevention initiative and a 12-step de-radicalization program.[1] He is the Founder & CEO of Alcyone Technology, a Canadian life enhancement and biotechnology company which offers solution oriented consulting and training services and products to government and private organizations looking to create or further evolve existing radicalization prevention programs.[2] Sayyid's radicalization prevention efforts in Canada have had a global impact,[3] and were recognized by the Canadian government,[4] and the United States government through the US Ambassador to Canada.[3]
By passion, Lord Sayyid is a recognized researcher of political science and Islam,[5] trained for twelve years under the tutelage of one of the world's leading authorities on classical Islam of the 20th century – Grand Shaykh Nazim al-Qubrusi. Sayyid was recognized with over twenty-three degrees for his research by Grand Shaykh Nazim al-Qubrusi.[6] The late Grand Shaykh Nazim was the second most influential Muslim in the world according to a 2009 Reuters online poll,[7] and regularly recognized among the world's 50 most influential Muslims. In the annual publication, The 500 Most Influential Muslims: he was ranked 49th, 49th, 48th, 45th, and 42nd in the 2009-2013 editions, respectively.[8]
According to Amiruddin, religiopolitical radicalization from its earliest stages is a neurochemical phenomenon driven by religion addiction.[9] Sayyid's program consisted of three components: a twelve step psycho-social intervention, proliferation of a relevant counter-narrative, and neurobiological support.[2]
According to Sayyid, global radicalization prevention programs require all three of these components to succeed.[2] In his view, any radicalization prevention program which does not include a neurobiological support system in addition to its psycho-social intervention and counter-narrative program for its candidates cannot be accepted as being legitimate nor actually effective in preventing religiopolitical radicalization.[2]
In 2010, Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin founded ASFC Spiritual Wellness Centre.[10] and Qedar.org[11] He pioneered a unique method of psycho-spiritual rehabilitation therapy based on the Sufi approach, and applied his methodology to create a twelve-step radicalization prevention program[12] in response to the 2006 Toronto terrorism case.
Recognition
Sayyid ’s radicalization prevention efforts in Canada have had a global impact, and were recognized by the Canadian government,[13] the United States government through the American ambassador to Canada,[3] and were mentioned favorably in the WikiLeaks Cables.[14][15][16]
According to a letter addressed to Amiruddin from the Ambassador of the United States of America to Canada, “...The United States appreciates the voices of concerned citizens and leaders in Canada and around the world who denounce terrorism and extremism and we hope your organization will continue to speak up in defense of liberty and moderation. By uniting as free peoples we believe we can build a more peaceful world...our Consulate in Toronto would be pleased to maintain contact with...and Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin...”[17]
According to Canada's Special Senate Committee on Anti‐terrorism, “We are fortunate to have with us Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin, the chair and founder of Al Sunnah Foundation of Canada and vice-president of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada. In 2006, he founded the concept of a systematic de-radicalization program as a counter-radicalization program initiative in Canada in response to the 2006 Toronto-18 terror plot. His program is specifically tailored to undermine the ideological underpinnings of extremist ideology. Over 50 mosques and Islamic organizations throughout Canada have since privately endorsed his de- radicalization program to their congregations. Today, he will share with us the main components of the 12-step program, and he has agreed to take questions. I welcome our guest here today. Much of our testimony today has been about how to analyze what is happening and how to assist with policing and coordination. Our guest is one Canadian who is working to prevent bad things from happening, and I think his advice and insights will be of immense value to our committee.”[13]
According to The Honourable Doctor Keith Martin, P.C. M.P, MD, Founding Executive Director of the Consortium of Universities for Global Health in Washington, D.C., USA: "… There is a solution. The Canadian government must work with moderate Islamic leaders to diffuse this threat. Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin is one of those leaders. He has a 12‐step de‐radicalization program that focuses on creating a counter‐narrative … and ensuring that those suffering from psychiatric illnesses get the medical treatment they need…”.[18]
Wilfrid Laurier University's "The Laurier M.A. Journal of Religion and Culture" writes, “…the establishment of Amiruddin’s Al Sunnah Foundation and the twelve-step program…can be seen as inspiring and reinforcing the flurry of activism that has continued to emerge from within the community since mid-2009...This growing anti-jihadist activism includes Canadian-based sheikh Tahir ul-Qadri independently issuing a 600-page document in London in March 2010, thoroughly refuting any potential theological justifications for Islamic extremism and going so far as to state that terrorists and suicide bombers are destined for damnation".[19]
Dr. Tahir ul-Qadri's historic six-hundred page fatwa against terrorism was published and recognized by the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation), an organization representing 56 Muslim states, and the collective voice of the Muslim world, with permanent delegations to the United Nations and the European Union.[20]
Twelve-step Program
Amiruddin's counter-radicalization program focuses primarily on a twelve-step psycho-social intervention,[21] counter-narrative programming,[22] and neurobiological support[22] was specifically tailored to undermine the ideological underpinnings of extremist ideology.[21]
Amiruddin first presented his 12-step radicalization prevention program before Canadian politicians at Canada 2020 with Al Gore in June 2006[23] in Mont Tremblanc, and follow up meetings specifically regarding the program and its goals were held with community leaders. In December 2008, Amiruddin presented it before the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and community leaders.[21]
"...many contemporary terrorist movements-including Afghanistan’s Taliban and al-Qai’da - have theological roots in Wahhabism, a sect that forms the “state orthodoxy” of contemporary Saudi Arabia. Wahhabism is a particularly strict interpretation of Islam that adheres to the Salafist notion that “pure” Islam must be rooted in the teachings of the “early fathers”...“Wahhabist” and “Salafist” have been used extensively to define particular types of terrorism...elements of Wahabbism could give rise to a mindset that includes extremist action - as 9/11 itself demonstrates...".[24]
Amiruddin was interviewed by Fox News about the program in Feb of 2009,[25] and in June 2009, the Toronto Star, Canada's largest newspaper, published a story about Amiruddin's program and the effect it has had on the lives of 'would be radicals', stating, 'Islamic ‘detox’ saved student from terror cell'.[21]
Special Senate Committee on Anti-terrorism
On Oct 4, 2010 Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin was asked to appear before the Senate of Canada's Special Senate Committee on Anti-terrorism[13][26][27] to discuss details of his program and share with the committee his insight on the homegrown radicalization process. Amiruddin recommended the proliferation of an integral cultural counter-narrative in the context of being Canadian, and testified before the committee:
"Much different from the Israeli–Palestinian conflict equation, the radicalization process of Western‐raised individuals is not triggered by oppression, perceived suffering, revenge or desperation; rather, this radicalization is motivated specifically by ideology. The jihadi, or the Salafi-jihadist ideology is the ideology that drives young men and women born and raised in the West to carry out "autonomous jihad" via acts of terrorism against their home countries. While many followers of this particular stream of Islam may not directly advocate jihad via acts of terrorism, or may even condemn terrorism wholly, the fact remains that this is the only stream within the Islamic tradition that is directly conducive to the radicalization process and the sanctioning of "autonomous jihad" via acts of terrorism. The Salafi ideology has served as the inspiration for numerous homegrown groups, including the Madrid 2004 bombers (2004 Madrid train bombings), Amsterdam's Hofstad Group, London's July 2005 bombers (7 July 2005 London bombings), and specifically the Toronto 18 group arrested in 2006...In order to create and sustain effective de-radicalization strategies, a major component of counter-terrorism involves the prevention of radicalization through fostering committed partnerships with expert groups within a given community who are working for the de-legitimization of violent extremism. The proliferation of an integral Islamic counter-narrative in the context of being Canadian, and the integration of people at the individual, social, and political level...The success of our implementation strategy is based on a group of professionals and experts that we deal with to implement our strategy...For example, we have medical practitioners as advisers in the implementation of our program, such as psychologists and psychiatrists, who can provide guidance and advice on medical and other factors that may be enablers in the radicalization process, which may be surprising to many. Specifically, we deal with hyperreligiosity, which is a diagnosed symptom of bi-polar disorder treated with prescription drugs...".[13][26][28]
Lord Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin with the Supreme Shari'ah Judge of Palestine, President Mahmoud Abbas' Advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice Dr. Mahmoud Al-Habbash at the mausoleum of Palestinian National Authority President Yasser Arafat in Ramallah, Palestine.
Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin accepts the view of King Abdullah II of Jordan that Palestinian injustice fuels Middle East violence, which in turn drives global radicalization.[31][5] As such, he endorses Palestinian right to self-determination and supports the creation of a sovereign, independent, viable, territorially contiguous Palestinian state,[5] and like the Hashemites of Jordan also recognizes Israel's right to live in peace with its neighbours.[5] This view is endorsed by the Government of Canada.[32] As of December 21, 2017, 176 nations among the 193 UN members called for Palestinian statehood. The United States, Canada and Israel were among the seven that opposed the text; four states abstained.[33]
On February 26th, 2018, in response to the Conservative Party of Canada Leader Andrew Scheer's vow to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel if his party forms government in 2019,[34] Sayyid called on the Government of Canada to join the international community, and officially also recognize Palestine as a sovereign and independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.[35] According to Sayyid, "(Canadian) Recognition of the State of Palestine does not mean a denial of the State of Israel with Jerusalem as its capital, rather it simply recognizes the reality that Jerusalem will never be the exclusive capital of the State of Israel, rather it will always remain a shared holy capital of the Arabs and Israelis, Muslims, Christians and Jews, of the State of Palestine and the State of Israel".[35]
On March 1, 2018, UK officials announced His Royal Highness Prince William, Duke of Cambridge would be making an official royal visit to Palestine.[36] The Duke of Cambridge's visit to Palestine is at the request of Her Majesty's Government.[37] The visit will be the first time an official visit has been made to the Occupied Palestinian Territories by a member of the British Royal Family,[37] and the only trip by a monarch-to-be since 1862.[38] Canada is a Commonwealth realm, and Queen Elizabeth II is the head of state. The last official trip of a British royal was in 1862 by Prince Edward, later Edward VII when Palestine was undivided and part of the Ottoman Empire.[38] Gaining special permission the prince entered the holy sites of Islam, including Haram al Sharif and the Ibrahimi Mosque.[38]
On 2 May 2017, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared on the occasion of Israel's Independence Day, “Today, while we celebrate Israel’s independence, we also reaffirm our commitment to fight anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism.”[42]
Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin distanced himself from the Government of Canada's continuous support for non-pluralistic relioiopolitical extremist elements of Zionism like Pre-Adamism as defined by the Father of Zionism Isaac La Peyrère[43] which according to Sayyid, drive Israeli violence[44] and Jewish hate against Arabs,[45][46][47][48] and justify Western support for it,[49][50] which in turn inspires homegrown Islamist radicalization in the West.[51][39][5] Sayyid rejects anti-Semitism against Jews,[5] rejects Holocaust denial[5] and calls for a reformation of Zionism[5] to make it more pluralistic[5] by extracting Pre-Adamism theology from it,[5] similar to the reformation of Wahhabism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,[52] and calls upon the Government of Canada to abandon its support for such radical religiopolitical extremist views.[5]
Assault Allegations
In June 2016 he was charged with two counts of sexual assault, two counts of extortion, two counts of non-consensual distribution of intimate images and sexual exploitation. Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin was accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl and a 20-year-old woman in Peel Region. Peel police say the 37-year-old man committed the offences while he was practicing as a religious healer. It was alleged the offences occurred over an eight-year period starting in 2008. Police said he had operated as a religious healer for several years in the Brampton, Mississauga and Burlington area, and appears to target the followers of Sufism.
Lord Amiruddin maintained his innocence of any criminal wrongdoing and categorically denied all allegations against him of criminal behavior as false.[53] Furthermore, according to police disclosure neither one of his accusers ever claimed to be fifteen years old to the police.[53]
The trial was cancelled by an Ontario judge on November 15, 2017, and all criminal charges against him collapsed because of a serious violation of his s. 11(b) Charter Rights.[53]
On November 15, 2017, at 10:00 AM in the Ontario Court of Justice, Brampton, all criminal charges against Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin were dropped by an Ontario judge. This day coincided with the Palestinian Declaration of Independence. The honorable judge stayed all criminal charges against Lord Amiruddin and cancelled the trial because Peel Regional Police repeatedly delayed to provide disclosure of evidence of the allegations to the defense. The full text of the ruling was not made available by the judge who dropped the charges because of unconstitutional delay and serious violation of his s. 11(b) Charter Rights.[53]
Claims of Conspiracy, Damages Against Accusers
After all criminal accusations and charges against Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin were collapsed by an Ontario judge on November 15, 2017, in an Ontario Court of Justice, Brampton, ON,[53] Amiruddin filed a litigation lawsuit in an Ontario Superior Court of Justice against his accusers.[54]
According to shocking details from an Ontario Superior Court of Justice litigation document filed on behalf of Amiruddin, one of the women who accused Sayyid Ahmed Amiruddin of sexually assaulting her over a period of eight years was paid $46,000.00 CDN days before she filed a complaint with the Peel Regional Police against him.[54]
Lord Amiruddin is seeking an Order in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice for damages against his accusers in the amount of nearly $300,000.00 CDN.[54]
Further details of the lawsuit claims the accusers, conspired to take all the net proceeds from the sale of a property and to leave the accused penniless. The conspiracy extended to taking all the money then filing false and malicious criminal complaints against Lord Amiruddin.[54]
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