Uproar of ISIS fan moving to Enderby is calming down

ISIS supporter living quietly

Photo: Alaska Highway News

ISIS supporter Othman Hamdan has been living in Enderby for a month.

The uproar over an ISIS supporter being released into Enderby has calmed down.

Mayor Greg McCune said when news first broke that known ISIS supporter Othman Hamdan was to be released into the community north of Vernon, he received more than 300 phone calls and emails.

The British Columbia man who glorified terrorism by the Islamic State group in multiple Facebook posts was ordered released from immigration detention by the Federal Court in September, a year after the Immigration and Refugee Board deemed him inadmissible and a security risk to Canada.

Hamdan has been in custody since September 2017, when the Canadian Border Services Agency arrested him on the same day he was acquitted of terrorism-related charges based on Facebook posts calling for so-called lone-wolf attacks.

One of the targets Hamdan identified was the Reveltstoke Dam, only two hours from Enderby.

Hamdan has been living in Enderby for almost a month and McCune said the community is more at ease with the situation.

“I don't think there is much talk about him at all right now actually,” said McCune, adding the community was not consulted when it was announced Hamdan was to live in Enderby.

“People have a little better understanding, before it was just thrown at us with no consultation.”

Hamdan has a list of conditions he must abide by and McCune said they are confident RCMP, Immigration and other agencies are all making sure Hamadan is “doing what he is supposed to be doing.”

Enderby council sent a letter to the federal government expressing their displeasure about not even being contacted before Hamdan was was allowed to move to Enderby.

The federal government did reply to some of the questions, but told McCune and council they could not answer all of the questions because they did not want to look like they were campaigning before an election.

But council is not about to let the matter slide.

“We are going to follow up. Is this appropriate?” said the mayor. “Is this the proper place for someone you are trying to monitor.”

Hamdan is scheduled to be deported, but the process could take years.