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Imam Soharwardy agrees with her. “The Canadian government is not dong enough to stop this brainwashing,” said the imam, founder of the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada and an outspoken critic of extremism. “It’s going on right under their nose.”

He blamed those preaching an intolerant form of the religion. “They’re not going to say go and bomb this place, but the way they preach develops a mindset that is very hateful to non-Muslims and Muslims who do not agree with them.”

There is no indication any Calgary mosques or imams are implicated in the recruitment, and extremists tend to keep their activities away from established Islamic centres, not wanting to draw attention to themselves.

The director of religious programming at the Islamic Information Society of Calgary, the federally regulated charity that runs the 8th & 8th prayer centre, did not hesitate to oppose what Mr. Clairmont and his friends had done.

“We don’t advise people to go,” said Sheikh Hacene Chebbani, who would sometimes see Mr. Clairmont in the audience at his Friday sermons. “We don’t support this and I don’t think they are helping the Syrian people. The people who are coming from outside with their own ideology, their own agendas — I don’t think they are helping.”

Those who sympathize with Syrians were better off sending money and medicine, said the imam, who blamed the Internet for playing a major role in radicalizing youths. “We don’t believe there is a bigger brother who is recruiting.”

The RCMP recently told Mrs. Boudreau they were preparing to interview one of Mr. Clairmont’s friends outside the country. His parents had convinced him not to go to Syria and were keeping a tight rein on him. “I wish I would have had the opportunity to do the same with Damian,” she said. “But it’s a little too late for our family.”

National Post