In Canada, a Bangladeshi immigrant who had called for "the slaughter of Jews" in postings on the internet has become the first person to be charged with promoting genocide. Salman Hossain, 25, who reportedly left Canada two months ago, was charged with five counts of promoting hatred and advocating or promoting genocide over postings on his website and blog, as well as on a third-party website, Ontario's Provincial Police said in a statement, adding that Hossain had "willfully promoted hatred and advocated genocide of the Jewish community."
Until now, Canada has only prosecuted suspects accused of mass atrocities abroad, in countries such as Rwanda. The Canadian government has also deported war crimes suspects to be tried in foreign courts. Hossain, who immigrated to Canada as a child, openly called for "violent regime change in Western nations in order to remove the presence of Jews" and "the slaughter of Jews," according to reports. He also advocated terrorist attacks in Canada, cheered the killing of Canadian troops in Afghanistan, and urged fellow Muslims to overthrow the "Jewish-run Canadian government."
In recent online postings, Hossain said he left Canada in May, and is now reportedly in South Asia where he continues to advocate racist violence on his website and blog. "We know that he's out of the country," police spokesman Pierre Chamberland told the news agency AFP. "We are working with various government departments to have him brought before justice."
In 2007, Hossain wrote: “We must never cease in our efforts to eliminate the Jewish people from the face of the earth. Their permanent liquidation and destruction is the only solution.” He added: "A genocide should be perpetrated against the Jewish populations of North America and Europe. Our prime targets will be any major cities with Jews residing in them."
