Action4Canada - Exposing Ties to Islamic Terrorism Rampant in Canada

00:00:00.000 Canada is a rule of law country that is something of the utmost and foundational importance in a country of rule of law. We are a country of the rule of law.

00:00:30.000 That reporting was shocking. Political fallout tonight over our reporting about the Iranian regime's reach on Canadian soil.

00:00:46.000 But to think that we might have terrorist-linked Iranian regime thugs operating with impunity, spending stolen money, and intimidating Canadian Jews and Iranians is appalling.

00:01:04.000 The leader of the opposition has been vocal about getting tough with the Islamic Republic, but even he admits he had no idea how widespread the problem is.

00:01:13.000 Your documentary made me realize how much more brutal it is.

00:01:20.000 They will not be prosecuted. That's just a fact.

00:01:23.000 This BC lawyer has been building a database on an alarming number of regime insiders operating in Canada and threatening those who speak out against them.

00:01:32.000 We have about 700 names right now that either have temporary residence, permanent residence, or citizenship that are in Canada and that are somehow regime affiliates.

00:01:43.000 They came to Canada knowing that this is going to be safe haven.

00:01:48.000 They live in big mansions that they bought from money they stole from poor people in Iran. 0.72

00:01:53.000 To learn from your report that it was 700 was staggering and it requires immediate action to kick them out of this country. 0.56

00:02:03.000 World-renowned human rights activist Massey Ali Najat has been an outspoken critic of the regime for years.

00:02:09.000 She has been moving from safe house to safe house ever since an alleged attempt on her life in July of last year.

00:02:16.000 Not only is she in danger in the United States, she shared this disturbing detail about the dangers in Canada too.

00:02:23.000 The FBI told me that as far as you are in America, we will protect you, but we suggest you not to go to Canada.

00:02:31.000 It's mind-blowing. Who would ever have thought eight years ago that our allies would think Canada is too dangerous a place to go.

00:02:40.000 The solution? Paliyev has been pushing to list the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity in Canada.

00:02:47.000 We have a common sense plan to ban those terrorists, to expel as many as possible, to smash them with sanctions,

00:02:57.000 and to bring in a foreign agent registry so that we can expose every single one of them.

00:03:02.000 We also reached out to the prime minister's office and four federal cabinet ministers, but none were available for comment.

00:03:09.000 But we will keep pushing for answers, if only because the people risking their lives to speak out against the regime deserve them.

00:03:17.000 Nagar Mosheheri, Global News.

00:03:21.000 Nagar Mosheheri, Global News.

00:03:29.000 GELLO LO your children by Uber . 0.98

00:03:38.000 This is their modus operandi of intimidating and killing their opposition wherever they can find them.

00:03:44.000 It has even spread its tentacles right here in Canada. 0.97

00:03:57.000 Down with dictator!

00:03:59.000 Down with dictator!

00:04:01.000 Canada is not safe.

00:04:03.000 That's heartbreaking.

00:04:05.000 One solution, revolution!

00:04:14.000 The Islamic Republic's agents are everywhere in this country, everywhere.

00:04:29.000 Hamid Esmailioun has learned in the most tragic way possible that he always has to watch his back.

00:04:36.000 If you're on the air, in a plane, or if you're on the ground, the dictatorship regimes, they can endanger your life.

00:04:49.000 January 8th, 2020, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps shot down Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 with two surface-to-air missiles.

00:05:00.000 176 people were killed, including 55 Canadians.

00:05:10.000 Among them, Hamid's beloved wife, Parisa, and nine-year-old daughter, Rira.

00:05:15.000 In this country, victims of Islamic Republic are buried.

00:05:29.000 When I come here and I am by myself, I get paralyzed for a day.

00:05:36.000 He channeled his grief into action, demanding answers, calling for a full investigation.

00:05:46.000 Canada must stand for justice.

00:05:48.000 It wasn't long before Hamid's public outcry put his life in danger, too.

00:05:54.000 It's not safe in Canada or anywhere in the world for enemies of the Iranian regime.

00:06:01.000 How many Islamic Republic officials are enjoying freedom in Canada?

00:06:05.000 You will be shocked.

00:06:07.000 Woman life freedom! 1.00

00:06:10.000 Masi Alinejad has been trying to take down the regime for more than a decade.

00:06:15.000 Woman life freedom. 0.98

00:06:17.000 Zan Zandegi Azadi.

00:06:20.000 The fearless Iranian-American journalist is one of the biggest supporters of the woman life freedom movement that rocked Iran in September of last year.

00:06:31.000 If we became a rebel, that's how we will win the battle.

00:06:37.000 Protesters across the country filled the streets when 22-year-old Massa Amini was beaten to death by police.

00:06:46.000 We, the people of Iran, we are brave enough to bring democracy for ourselves.

00:06:52.000 Masi's voice forced the world to pay attention to the regime's violent suppression of women and girls.

00:06:58.000 That made the petite but fiery activist public enemy number one. 1.00

00:07:04.000 She wears it as a badge of honour, but her courage comes at a price.

00:07:08.000 You won't have a normal life.

00:07:10.000 I cannot go back to my own country.

00:07:12.000 I haven't hogged my family for 13 years.

00:07:15.000 The FBI says it thwarted an attempt to kidnap her in 2021.

00:07:21.000 And the following year, an assassination plot.

00:07:25.000 This suspect caught on surveillance video outside Masi's door.

00:07:29.000 A loaded AK-47 later found in his car.

00:07:33.000 The FBI linked both to the Iranian regime.

00:07:36.000 But their plot was disrupted.

00:07:39.000 And all of the defendants will now stand trial in the United States for their alleged crimes.

00:07:46.000 Masi lives in New York, going from one safe house to the next, 1.00

00:07:50.000 with full protection from the FBI.

00:07:59.000 As dangerous as it is for her in the United States, Masi revealed to us,

00:08:03.000 the danger to dissidents is even worse here in Canada.

00:08:08.000 The FBI told me that the same group who were trying to kidnap me on U.S. soil,

00:08:14.000 that were the same group from revolutionary guards in Iran trying to harass, kidnap, and kill Canadians.

00:08:23.000 Masi says the FBI knows how bad the problem is.

00:08:28.000 The FBI told me that as far as you are in America, we will protect you.

00:08:34.000 But we suggest you not to go to Canada. It won't be safe for you.

00:08:38.000 That's heartbreaking. Canada should be safe.

00:08:41.000 Thank you for inviting me to testify.

00:08:44.000 American security expert Gabriel Narona served as special adviser on Iran to the U.S. State Department from 2019 to 2021.

00:08:54.000 What I constantly hear from Iranian Americans, they say the problem in Canada is far, far worse than you can imagine.

00:09:02.000 The FBI told Masi if she insisted on going to Canada, they'd need months to prepare.

00:09:09.000 That sounds like if she were going to Turkey or Iraq, it shouldn't be the case that when you're going to Canada,

00:09:17.000 that you have to spend months in advance making sure that you're going to be safe.

00:09:22.000 Masi says those who are threatened here are left out in the cold without the kind of security she gets.

00:09:30.000 None of them were under protection of the police in Canada.

00:09:34.000 They sent death threats to Hamed and many other activists.

00:09:39.000 Why? Because they don't see any consequence. They don't see any punishment.

00:09:43.000 I had a conversation with RCMP officers and I said, if you have any recommendation for me,

00:09:50.000 because I see that the threats are going on, especially on social media.

00:09:54.000 They said to me that they have no resources. They're busy with Ukraine, Russia, other things, China.

00:10:01.000 If something happens to me, nobody can help me. So you feel helpless.

00:10:07.000 Never were Hamed's fears better demonstrated than in early August, when this man came to Canada. 0.58

00:10:15.000 His name is Sayed Hassan Azizadeh Hashemi. He was a senior member of the same Iranian administration responsible for killing Hamed's family and 53 other Canadians. 0.86

00:10:28.000 The worst part is we would have likely never found out had it not been for Iranians spotting him in the background of a TV news report on Quebec tourism.

00:10:37.000 It was outrageous for the whole community.

00:10:40.000 Hamed saw that footage on social media. He couldn't believe it and called out the Canadian government.

00:10:46.000 This all happened only months after we first spoke with him.

00:10:50.000 We talked to him about it later in Vancouver at the screening of a film about the tragedy of Flight 752.

00:10:57.000 It was not an ordinary person. You see that he had a photo with Hassan Nasrullah, the leader of Hezbollah,

00:11:03.000 which is a terrorist organization in this country.

00:11:07.000 In response to Hamed's calls to have him deported, Hashemi reportedly fired back with a threat.

00:11:13.000 He was quoted in this Iranian magazine saying,

00:11:16.000 I will retaliate against the treachery of the foreign media outlets and Hamed Esmailioun.

00:11:22.000 It made me angry actually. Why? He's here and he threatens everybody he wants.

00:11:28.000 In late August, Canada's immigration minister finally weighed in.

00:11:34.000 Mark Miller tweeted that Hashemi's application for temporary residence was denied

00:11:38.000 and that he was being barred for three years due to, quote,

00:11:42.000 Iran's disregard for human rights. 0.99

00:11:45.000 That's a totally unserious response. Three years?

00:11:49.000 In three years you can go on vacation with the rest of Europe and then come back to Canada, an unchanged man.

00:11:54.000 This person should be permanently blocked and every other Iranian official like him should be permanently blocked. 1.00

00:12:00.000 Even an immigration lawyer like Ramin Jubin can't figure out how Hashemi was allowed to enter in the first place.

00:12:08.000 It boggles my mind, too, how that individual got into Canada. I don't know.

00:12:12.000 It's just a slap in the face of the community here.

00:12:21.000 And they engage in intimidation and threats and money laundering.

00:12:24.000 The issue is so rampant, Ramin has formed a group of lawyers working to identify and investigate those with close ties to the regime living here.

00:12:34.000 The main categories, embezzlement, money laundering, threat.

00:12:39.000 We have about 700 names right now that are either have temporary residence, permanent residence or citizenship that are in Canada and that are somehow regime affiliates.

00:12:51.000 700.

00:12:52.000 About 700 names. We still counting. So it's going to be closer to a thousand.

00:12:57.000 Describe to me what some of the biggest things that you're seeing on your list and why this is so concerning.

00:13:03.000 Impunity. Impunity to operate in Canada engaging in financial and violent crimes.

00:13:11.000 The most violent individuals I can imagine if you just go and grab women's hair and throw them in the curb.

00:13:17.000 These individuals are allowed to live in Canada. They will not be prosecuted. That's just a fact.

00:13:22.000 Ramin says many of the regime connected insiders come with millions of dollars. Often they are involved in financial fraud or large scale government corruption.

00:13:34.000 And they settle in wealthy neighbourhoods in Canada.

00:13:37.000 Some of them have citizenship. They've had citizenship for a long time.

00:13:41.000 And they knew, OK, once I embezzle, I can go to Canada and live a lavish life in West Vancouver or wherever.

00:13:48.000 And some of them had this pre-planned already. And they came to Canada knowing that this is going to be their safe haven.

00:13:55.000 And it affects everyone. It's in our own neighbourhoods. It's all over Canada.

00:13:59.000 The British properties, known as Canada's Beverly Hills, is one of the country's most expensive postal codes.

00:14:12.000 Kamran Malikpour says there are many people living here and across Metro Vancouver with close ties to the Iranian regime.

00:14:20.000 If I give you by numbers, I have more than 300 properties that I know I have documents belongs to the families or the persons who are related who had a position in the Iran government.

00:14:34.000 300 confirmed properties?

00:14:37.000 Yes.

00:14:38.000 300. You're kidding.

00:14:40.000 No, I could show you 40-50 right now in one hour.

00:14:44.000 Kamran was a journalist in Iran who came to Canada in 2012. He says the number of regime affiliates in Canada is so large, exposing them has become his sole focus.

00:14:58.000 And that work has put him in danger. In September, a top Iranian official levelled a threat against Iran International, the news outlet Kamran works for.

00:15:08.000 The Iran Intelligence Minister himself told that Iran International is a terroristic organisation. And because of that, we have this right to attack them anywhere, in any country, anytime.

00:15:21.000 Anywhere, anytime.

00:15:23.000 Anywhere, anytime.

00:15:24.000 Every day when I go out from home, I have this feeling maybe this is the last day I'm leaving the home.

00:15:30.000 We, for the past 20 years, have been telling the government that this is going to become a very serious problem.

00:15:39.000 Payam Ahavon says the time has come to confront this threat.

00:15:44.000 Not just within Iran, but it has even spread its tentacles right here in Canada.

00:15:51.000 The Iranian-Canadian is one of the world's most distinguished human rights lawyers.

00:15:57.000 Through his work at the International Criminal Court, he's been a witness to some of the most notorious war crimes in modern history.

00:16:04.000 I have had the opportunity to work on behalf of survivors of genocide in Bosnia, in Rwanda, and many other places in the world.

00:16:15.000 But of course, my own home back in Iran remains a very special place in my consciousness, and I have a special sense of responsibility.

00:16:27.000 He also has a special sense of outrage about the lack of accountability here.

00:16:32.000 It's really disturbing to see now that those same elites that are responsible for so much evil and so much suffering are enjoying their ill-gotten wealth in Canada with impunity.

00:16:48.000 And they are establishing networks of influence.

00:16:53.000 They are even vilifying and intimidating and threatening those who have escaped the Islamic Republic so that they could have a life of safety and freedom in Canada.

00:17:06.000 As a lawyer and an advisor to the Canadian government on the investigation into Flight 752, Payam chooses his words carefully.

00:17:15.000 But on the danger to this country, he doesn't hold back.

00:17:18.000 We should not be naive enough to believe that the day would not come when they would decide to assassinate people here in Canada if it was in their interest to do so.

00:17:31.000 That is the modus operandi of this regime. Intimidation, threats, and violence. Yes, violence, including beyond the borders of Iran. 0.54

00:17:43.000 U.S. security expert Gabriel Nerona agrees. He says the Islamic Republic has proven over and over again it will kill its critics anywhere in the world. 1.00

00:17:53.000 The regime has conducted over 360 terror assassinations in its 44 year history.

00:17:59.000 Speaking for the United States, there are active plots around at least a dozen Americans.

00:18:05.000 The United Kingdom has threats against 15 of its citizens.

00:18:09.000 I have no doubt that there are active and significant threats against Canadians today.

00:18:14.000 No forgive, no forget.

00:18:16.000 No forgive, no forget.

00:18:18.000 No forgive, no forget.

00:18:19.000 Payam says there are some promising developments.

00:18:23.000 Canada has expanded sanctions against some regime officials in Iran.

00:18:27.000 And amended legislation to allow police to seize assets of those implicated in human rights abuses and corruption.

00:18:35.000 The moment that the government seizes the first assets of these individuals, many of them will pack their bags and go.

00:18:44.000 But it's not just about enforcing laws. Immigration lawyer Ramin Jubin says Canada needs to go much further.

00:18:51.000 It's a lot of words, not enough action.

00:18:54.000 The United States declared Iran's notorious Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a terrorist group in 2019.

00:19:04.000 The powerful paramilitary organization reports only to the supreme leader.

00:19:09.000 Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has publicly acknowledged they are a big problem.

00:19:14.000 We will be working with all the tools at our disposal to make sure that Canada is never again a haven for killers, murderers and those responsible for the repression of Iranian people.

00:19:29.000 The government has designated some IRGC group members as inadmissible.

00:19:34.000 Despite the prime minister's tough talk, the organization as a whole still hasn't been added to Canada's terror list.

00:19:41.000 It's a terrorist organization. It's good that people know about that more and more. That's great.

00:19:46.000 But if it's a terrorist organization, where's the action? Why are they not on the terrorist list?

00:19:51.000 The prime minister has resisted calls to list the IRGC as a terrorist group because some Iranians are forced into the organization as part of their mandatory military service.

00:20:02.000 But Ramin says Canada is able to identify low level conscripts who served against their will and make exceptions.

00:20:09.000 He says the terrorist designation gives the justice system much more ammunition. 0.90

00:20:14.000 If you take action in one side and you keep silent on the other side, then you are hypocrites.

00:20:20.000 During an appearance at Canada's parliament in 2019, Masi Ali Najad pleaded with the government to take stronger action. 0.96

00:20:28.000 So you see, killing, taking hostage, murdering, executing is in the DNA of the Islamic Republic. 1.00

00:20:37.000 So maybe you think that this is some problem with Iranians, let them deal with it. 1.00

00:20:42.000 It's not. The Islamic Republic is a threat to Canadians. 1.00

00:20:47.000 And Gabriel says that threat is worse in Canada than almost anywhere else in the world. 0.90

00:20:53.000 If we allow complacency to happen, then the smoking gun will be a dead body of an Iranian Canadian. 0.68

00:21:00.000 And that is not acceptable.

00:21:02.000 This is really scary that I see terrorist regime can freely send the killers on U.S. oil,

00:21:11.000 can get visa to go to Canada and spy on dissidents.

00:21:15.000 This is scary.

00:21:18.000 The question is, are authorities taking that problem seriously?

00:21:21.000 In Canada, unfortunately, the answer appears to be no.

00:21:25.000 My wife, my only child, along with 174 other innocent human beings and an unborn child, were murdered in cold blood.

00:21:38.000 Ahmed has already lost the most important people in his life.

00:21:41.000 When we moved to Canada, we thought that we are safe.

00:21:46.000 And we lived thousands of kilometers away from Iran.

00:21:50.000 But where is my wife and my daughter now?

00:21:52.000 So he's dedicating the rest of his life to one thing, making sure it doesn't happen to anyone else.

00:22:01.000 We are immigrants.

00:22:02.000 We are people that we came to this country and we were welcomed by people of this country.

00:22:08.000 And we want them to be safe.

00:22:11.000 We want everybody to be safe.

00:22:12.000 And it's not.

00:22:25.000 How big is the problem of Iranian regime affiliates operating in Canada?

00:22:30.000 The answer, as we uncovered this weekend on Global's current affairs program,

00:22:34.000 the new reality, was shocking.

00:22:36.000 We have about 700 names right now.

00:22:38.000 700.

00:22:39.000 We're still counting, so it's going to be closer to 1,000.

00:22:42.000 The news we broke has a lot of people demanding,

00:22:45.000 when will Canada designate the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist entity,

00:22:51.000 just like the U.S. did in 2019?

00:22:54.000 We put that question to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

00:22:57.000 Prime Minister, will you commit to listing the IRGC as a terrorist entity?

00:23:01.000 We continue to watch and make sure that we're able to do everything we can that is responsible against the impact of the IRGC.

00:23:09.000 With all due respect, Prime Minister, the people who spoke to us, you know,

00:23:13.000 they said that they risked their lives just to speak to us.

00:23:16.000 And they are desperate for a direct answer from you.

00:23:19.000 As you know, the IRGC is complicit in the killing of at least 55 Canadians in the downing of Flight 752.

00:23:25.000 Could you please answer my question?

00:23:28.000 Will you list the IRGC or commit to listing the IRGC as a terrorist entity?

00:23:33.000 Yes or no?

00:23:34.000 As I have said many, many times, the Iranian regime responsible for the shooting down of PS 752, 0.99

00:23:42.000 killing of its own citizens and killing of Canadian citizens, 0.95

00:23:47.000 its sponsorship of terror around the world means that we will continue to do everything necessary,

00:23:55.000 both to hold that regime to account, to limit its impact around the world and to protect Canadians.

00:24:01.000 You ask the straightforward question, we're not getting a straightforward answer.

00:24:06.000 We went back to the BC lawyer investigating and documenting the list of regime affiliates living freely in this country.

00:24:14.000 If you want to do it, you know, give us a good reason.

00:24:17.000 The lack of transparency and straightforwardness on this straightforward issue, of course it's upsetting

00:24:23.000 and it's definitely not something I want to see in Canadian politics.

00:24:27.000 Our investigation has a lot of people talking, but for those dissidents who speak up and risk their lives to do so,

00:24:34.000 they just want an answer.

00:24:37.000 Nagar Moshahedi, Global News.

Action4Canada - November 26, 2023

Exposing Ties to Islamic Terrorism Rampant in Canada

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