Arson at Montreal Jewish Library May be Linked to Yassin Killing

David Goldman writes “The Monday arson attack on a Montreal Jewish school and library was allegedly carried out to avenge Israel’s killing of the terrorist group Hamas’ founder and leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, according to a letter found at the scene.Quebec’s French-language TVA television network reported the letter denounced recent Israeli attacks against Palestinians, including the killing of Yassin.The letter noted the arsonists intended the attack as a warning. Read the entire article here.“

April 8, 2004 by Blake Uncategorized 5

GregS* says:

April 8, 2004 at 12:40 am

Really?
From the article:
“The letter noted the arsonists intended the attack as a warning and did not intend to harm people, Montreal media outlets reported.”

Apparently scaring the begeezus out of people doesn’t count as harm.

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pchuck says:

April 8, 2004 at 2:23 am

Sounds like terrorism to me.
I know this was a post yesterday and their was a discussion about whether this was a hate crime or a terrorism. After reading this article, it pretty much sounds like terrorism to me.

This is from an article I read in another Canadian paper:

The Ottawa Citizen is reporting that a “warning” note left outside the school says the attack was intended as retaliation for Israel’s assassination last month of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, founder of the Hamas terrorist group.

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Fang-Face says:

April 8, 2004 at 4:00 am

Re:Sounds like terrorism to me.
There still aren’t enough details to my liking; the police are playing it close to the chest and there are only vague reports about the note. The Montreal Gazette has two articles, the most informative one is here. I must say that I am surprised at this turn of events, but I still reserve judgement as to whether it was Islamist extremists.

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rteeter says:

April 8, 2004 at 6:10 am

Re:Sounds like terrorism to me.
It was an act of violence calculated to intimidate a people. That makes it terrorism. It doesn’t matter whether the people who did it were homegrown or foreign-born, Christian or Muslim or some other faith.

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Eli says:

April 8, 2004 at 9:44 pm

Terrorism Indeed
First a librarian is killed in a terrorist attack in Israel, now a library facility is firebombed. Where is the American Library Association on both counts? What does the Jewish population in Montreal have to do with Israeli Government policy? What did the slain librarian have to do with Israeli government policy? This attack should be seen for what it is, a wanton destruction of Jewish property in revenge for a government action. The ALA should at least comment on these acts. Silence often implies agreement. Has anti-Israel rhetoric become anti-semitic acquiescence? School children will have no library facilities due to a political act of terrorism. Terrorism is evident from this act and to wait for details mutes the outrage of such an event.

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