MAC leader Chiheb Battikh is currently in jail awaiting his trial for the kidnapping of a child for ransom that took place in Outremont (Montreal) in December 2012.

Version française ICI

The activities announced by Chiheb Battikh in this 2011 video were organized by Alrawdah Mosque in Montreal. This mosque is managed by the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC).

According to the City of Montreal Property Assessment Service’s website, the building where the mosque is located (12265 boul. Laurentien, Montreal H4K 1N5) is owned by MAC.

The Quebec Registry of Enterprises (NEQ 1160478880) also indicates that ‘Mosquée Alrawdah’ is one of many names used by MAC.

Except for the Journal de Montréal, no mainstream media has alluded to the leadership role played by Chiheb Battikh within the Muslim Association of Canada (MAC) in their reports about the kidnapping of a child for ransom that occurred in Outremont (Montreal) in December 2012.

In recent years though, Chiheb Battikh’s role at MAC has been mentioned in numerous documents easily accessible to the public:

2000 – Chiheb Battikh is identified by MAC as one of its administrators in the financial report submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency. Chiheb Battikh’s name appears as Chihab Battikh.

2001 – Chiheb Battikh is identified by MAC as one of its administrators in the financial report submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency. Chiheb Battikh’s name appears as Chihab Battiel.

2002 – Chiheb Battikh is identified by MAC as one of its administrators in the financial report submitted to the Canada Revenue Agency. Chiheb Battikh’s name appears as Chihab Batikh.

July 2004 – MAC identifies Chiheb Battikh, on its website, as the member of its executive committee responsible for its department of institutions. The executive committee is a distinct entity from the board of directors.

October 2005 – MAC identifies Chiheb Battikh, on its website, as the member of its executive committee responsible for its department of institutions. The executive committee is a distinct entity from the board of directors.

August 30, 2011 – In a MAC video, Chiheb Battikh identifies himself as a spokesperson of the organization and invites its supporters to attend MAC’s activities in Laval (a northern suburb of Montreal) to celebrate the end of Ramadan.

February 15, 2012 – In a motion by MAC to the Superior Court to compel the transfer of the ownership title of a building located at 615 Belmont in Montréal, Chiheb Battikh is identified as MAC representative responsible for the purchase of the building at section 22. Other references are made to Chiheb Battikh at sections 24, 25 and 26.

December 2012 – MAC’s Springs for Knowledge website identifies three positions occupied by Chiheb Battikh in MAC’s organisation chart: head of MAC Education Department, director of the Canadian Institute of Islamic Civilization (Montreal Chapter), a MAC substructure and instructor of young Muslims enrolled in MAC’s Springs for Knowledge program.

According to its website, the Canadian Institute for Islamic Civilization (CIIC) was established by MAC to determine how to best implement Islamic principles in the current reality in Canada. The CIIC is destined to become a headquarter where Canada-based Islamist leaders knowledgeable in law, economy, engineering, computer science and other fields will determine the most appropriate tactics to implement locally the general decisions taken by the Muslim Brotherhood leadership in Doha (Qatar), at the IIIT or elsewhere.  

On its own website, MAC states that its “modern roots can be traced to the Islamic revival of the early twentieth century, culminating in the movement of the Muslim Brotherhood … MAC adopts and strives to implement Islam … as understood in its contemporary context by the late Imam, Hassan Albanna (1906-1949), the founder of the Muslim Brotherhood.”

Hassan al-Banna’s main ideas are summarized in his 50-point manifesto. In it, al-Banna urges his supporters to abolish political parties and replace them by a single party system. He favours the modification of laws so that they conform to sharia and calls for the multiplication of associations dedicated to promoting the spirit of jihad in the youth.

In his essay On Jihad, al-Banna explains that “it’s an obligation for us (Muslims) to fight against them (the infidels) after inviting them (to join Islam), even if they do not fight against us”.

In another text (To what Do We Invite Humanity?), Hassan al-Banna refers to Adolf Hitler as a role model for Muslims looking for “success and fortune”.

In 2012, the Canada Revenue Agency revoked WAMY-Canada’s charitable status for having financed al-Qaeda-linked Benevolence International Fund (BIF). In 2002, WAMY-Canada transferred $9,815 to MAC and, in 2003, it credited MAC in its books for an $11,000 transfer by writing down its CRA registration number (880495163RR0001) while officially identifying Al Taqua Islamic School as beneficiary.

For the 2011-2013 period, the Canada Revenue Agency revoked three other MAC-linked organizations’ charitable status (IRFAN, WICS and ISNA Development Foundation) because they financed Hamas or other terrorist organizations.

Part 4 of another Point de Bascule article entitled Three charities linked with MAC and AMA had their status revoked in 2011-2012 for having funded terrorism deals with MAC’s links with IRFAN and WICS.

On March 22, 2004, MAC endorsed Hamas in a press release. That was more than a year after the organization was added to a list of terrorist organizations kept by the government of Canada.

On July 16, 2013, just a few days ago, Hamas threatened to launch terrorist attacks in countries where Israel embassies are located. Of course, Canada is on this list.

In its final report (p. 236), the Bouchard-Taylor Commission on reasonable accommodations recommended that the Quebec government subsidizes MAC and 22 other Islamist organizations. The 23 organizations referred to in note 91 on page 236 of the report signed a common letter in 2007.

Transcript of the first part of the video

Chiheb Battikh made his announcement in French on behalf of MAC.
Transcript and translation by Point de Bascule

00:15 Bismillah ir rahman ir rahim.

00:18 Dear brothers and sisters members of the Muslim community,

00:20 Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

00:23 The Alrawdah Mosque in Montreal is pleased to announce

00:27 that Monday August 29, 2011 will be the last day of the holy month of Ramadan

00:34 and that Tuesday August 30, 2011 will be the first day of the Eid al-Fitr, inshallah.

00:40 On this occasion, the Muslim Association of Canada, MAC, offers you its congratulations

00:47 and its best wishes of happiness and prosperity

00:50 and implore Allah subhanahu wa taala to give us this blessed moment every year,

00:55 and to accept our fast, our prayers and all our good deeds.

00:59 So, the Alrawdah Mosque announces that the Eid al-Fitr prayer

01:05 will take place at nine o’clock in the morning at the Récréathèque Centre in Laval

01:09 at 900 boulevard Curé-Labelle, postal code H7V 2V5.

01:15 Salat al-Eid and the Eid celebrations will take place this year, inshallah,

01:20 on the same day and at the same place.

01:22 Admission at the Récréathèque is free

01:26 and children will have access, between 10 AM and 8 PM,

01:30 to lots of games for only $14.

01:33 We also want to remind you that the Alrawdah Mosque collects zakat al-Fitr

01:39 whose value has been fixed at $8 per person this year

01:43 and that the deadline to fulfill this obligation is before the Eid prayer.

Further reading

Point de Bascule: File Chiheb Battikh

Point de Bascule: File Muslim Association of Canada

Point de Bascule (February 22, 2013): Chiheb Battikh – An overview of the Muslim Association of Canada and the other Islamist organizations run by the alleged Montreal kidnapper

Christiane Desjardins (La Presse – May 1, 2013): Chiheb Battikh – Le leader de la Muslim Association of Canada accusé d’enlèvement pour rançon se voit refuser la liberté sous cautionnement en Cour supérieure (Chiheb Battikh – Muslim Association of Canada leader charged with kidnapping for ransom was not granted a release on bail by the Superior Court)

Point de Bascule (May 1, 2013): Jamal Badawi, Saïd Fawaz et d’autres leaders islamistes ont participé à une campagne de financement du Centre communautaire Laurentien de la MAC en 2010 (Jamal Badawi, Said Fawaz and other Islamist leaders participated in the 2010 fundraising campaign organized by MAC’s Centre communautaire Laurentien)