Court-Ordered Deradicalization for Two Edmonton Women
In a significant legal development, an Alberta judge has mandated that two Edmonton women, Helena Carson and Dina Kalouti, who were captured in Syria during the downfall of the Islamic State, must participate in a deradicalization program. This decision was announced during a court appearance on Friday, where the women were instructed to undergo counseling with the Organization for the Prevention of Violence. Justice Suzanne Polkosnik approved a request by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) to impose a terrorism peace bond on the sisters-in-law, acknowledging that they had lived in ISIS territory for four years.
Background and Legal Implications
The two women, Carson, 35, and Kalouti, 43, are among the thousands of foreign nationals who joined the Islamic State a decade ago, despite the group’s notorious record of atrocities. After ISIS’s collapse in 2019, they were captured by U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces and held in a detention camp for women and children. Initially, the Canadian government declined to assist them, but in July 2023, federal officials arranged their release and return to Alberta. Upon their arrival, they were arrested by the RCMP but were not charged with terrorism offenses related to their alleged involvement with ISIS. Instead, Crown prosecutors sought terrorism peace bonds, which impose restrictions on individuals suspected of potentially committing terrorism offenses.
Response from Legal Counsel
Zachary Al-Khatib, the lawyer representing the women, expressed satisfaction with the court’s decision, stating that it demonstrates that his clients pose no threat to the Canadian public. He declined to comment on why the women had traveled to Syria but emphasized that they would adhere to the court’s conditions and work to assure the public of their productivity in society. This case reflects a broader trend in Canada, where concerns about extremism and terrorism have led to an increase in terrorism-related arrests over the past two years, particularly due to a resurgence of ISIS’s influence among youths.
Increasing Extremist Trends in Canada
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service has noted a "concerning increase" in extremist rhetoric and activities. Since last summer, the RCMP has thwarted two ISIS-related attacks and bomb plots in Calgary and Ottawa in 2023. Alongside these incidents, several women who were part of ISIS have been returning to Canada from Syria with federal government assistance. Under Canadian law, it is illegal to leave the country to join a terrorist group, yet most returnees have not faced charges. Instead, they have been placed on peace bonds that restrict their activities.
Profiles of the Returning Women
Nine ISIS-affiliated women have returned to Canada, with only three currently facing charges: Oumaima Chouay of Montreal, Ammara Amjad of Ontario, and Kimberly Polman of British Columbia. Six others, including Carson and Kalouti, have been placed on peace bonds, while one woman was not arrested upon her return. Additionally, Canada has repatriated 22 children from ISIS camps. Carson, a Muslim convert, left Canada in March 2014, while Kalouti departed that September, according to Crown reports. They were reportedly traveling with their Edmonton neighbors, Aimee Vasconez and Ali Zaid Abdel-Jabbar, another married couple. Vasconez has also returned to Alberta and was placed on a 12-month peace bond last May, while her husband was killed fighting with ISIS in Syria. The whereabouts of Yazan Kalouti, Dina’s brother, remain uncertain, and it is unclear if he is detained in Syria.
Ongoing Surveillance and Public Safety
Since their repatriation, Carson and Kalouti have been living under bail conditions for public safety reasons. The imposition of peace bonds and deradicalization programs underscores Canada’s approach to managing former ISIS affiliates, focusing on rehabilitation and monitoring rather than prosecution. As Canada grapples with the challenges posed by returning extremists, cases like that of Carson and Kalouti highlight the delicate balance between national security concerns and the rehabilitation of individuals who have lived under extremist regimes. This approach reflects an effort to reintegrate these individuals into society while ensuring public safety through legal and psychological interventions.
