June 17, 2022
VICTORIA, B.C. – A local Muslim preacher has once again been delivering sermons of the most extreme antisemitic nature to his followers in Victoria.
Younus Kathrada – who leads an organization called Muslim Youth of Victoria – was recently highlighted by MEMRI TV beseeching Allah to “bring annihilation upon the plundering Jews” and calling for victory “over those criminal, plundering Jews.”
B’nai Brith Canada recently submitted a formal criminal complaint to the Victoria Police Department (VPD), regarding Kathrada’s latest hate speech.
The VPD responded by email, to say that a specialized officer will be reviewing the video forwarded by B’nai Brith. According to the VPD: “The Victoria PD and several other agencies on Vancouver Island are very much aware of Kathrada’s statements and are monitoring him.”
“It is important that this extremist hate-monger is being vigorously investigated after this latest hate incident,” said Michael Mostyn, Chief Executive Officer of B’nai Brith Canada. “It’s appalling that such noxious hate speech against Jews is allowed to continue in Canada, and we hope Kathrada will now face criminal charges.”
Kathrada, who has been denounced by the local Muslim community, has been the subject of criminal complaints by B’nai Brith since 2004. In October of 2019, Kathrada advised congregants not to vote in the Canadian federal election, arguing that all Jewish and Christian candidates were “filthy” and “evil.” In January of that year, Kathrada suggested that wishing Christians a Merry Christmas is a sin worse than murder.
This was followed by an April 2020 sermon, where he called for the annihilation of atheists and victory for Jihad. In November 2020, Kathrada was reported to the police by B’nai Brith for statements comparing Jews to monkey and pigs and calling for their destruction. In August 2021, he described Christians and Jews as ‘our enemies‘ who were trying to “spend mountains of gold to drive us away from Islam.”
“The insults and the ruthless rhetoric that this person has hurled at the Jewish people and others over the years transcend acceptable behaviour, particularly for a religious leader, and is clearly hate-motivated,” Mostyn concluded. “Our country cannot allow any individual or group to preach with such venom.”
