A Canadian court recently ruled against allowing a convicted jihadist to attend university, but it’s only because of the danger “Islamophobes” pose to him.

The top court in Canada’s most populous province, the Ontario Review Board, attempted to strike a strong blow against “Islamophobia” on Monday when it granted permission to a young Muslim named Ayanle Hassan Ali to attend Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.

Only venomous Islamophobes would have wanted to deny an enterprising young Muslim the college place. After all, all Ayanle Hassan Ali did was stab three Canadian soldiers and explain that Allah told him to do it. How could anyone deny this fine young man a spot at Mohawk College?

The effort to have him attend Mohawk “have now been scuttled, Chaimowitz told the board, because the ‘unflattering’ media coverage led them to worry that Ali himself might be in danger from another student.”

In this case, “Islamophobia” won out, at least for now.

The Toronto Sun reported Wednesday that “following negative media publicity and a blowback from some staff, students and their parents, the mentally-ill man who attacked soldiers at a Toronto military recruiting office won’t be bound for Mohawk College after all.”

The courts had originally decided that pending good behavior in hospital, Ali may have been able to attend college unaccompanied.

His psychiatrist, Dr. Gary Chaimowitz, said the 31-year-old won’t be attending Mohawk College not because of the danger he poses to students and staff, but because they pose a danger to him.

The effort to have him attend Mohawk “have now been scuttled, Chaimowitz told the board, because the ‘unflattering’ media coverage led them to worry that Ali himself might be in danger from another student.”

Of course, his safety is paramount. To be concerned about the safety of the Mohawk College students or others who might encounter this jihadi would be “Islamophobic.”

Despite pro forma protestations to the contrary, no one seems to be concerned about the danger Ali himself might pose.

The Canadian Press reported Ali had been found “not criminally responsible” for his knife attack. But at the time of his attack, Ali himself said: “Allah told me to do this, Allah told me to come here and kill people.”

And he hasn’t changed.

Where have the victims of Ayanle Hassan Ali’s jihad attack been shown any solicitude similar to that which is being shown for Ali himself?

Chaimowitz admitted of Ali: “[H]is psychotic disorder is not completely treated. I still have work in the future.”

Crown attorney Craig Fraser said: “He still feels it is his obligation to do something about it”. That “it” is the supposed Canadian oppression of Muslims.

Nonetheless, Chaimowitz, said the Sun, “recommended the board clear him to have unaccompanied passes into southern Ontario and travel within a 50-kilometre radius of Hamilton for education or employment. They also agreed with a request by his lawyer Maureen Addie that he be eligible for 48-hour overnight passes to Toronto under the supervision of his father or sister.”

Even after all this, Chaimowitz had the audacity to declare: “We take risk to the community as our priority.”

Given Ali’s views have not changed, why is any of this being contemplated?

The media last year noted how the Ontario Review Board is endangering the public:

“…the board also found Ali, who suffers from schizophrenia, ‘still poses a significant threat to the safety of the public’ and ‘holds some of the same delusions, that he experienced at the time of the (attack).’ He also ‘continues to express concerns about the Canadian government and its interactions with Muslim countries.’”

Many jihadis have said that their attack was retaliation for atrocities of Western governments in Muslim countries, yet Canadian authorities are working to let this would-be murderer loose.

What could possibly go wrong? Where have the victims of Ayanle Hassan Ali’s jihad attack been shown any solicitude similar to that which is being shown for Ali himself?

If Ayanle Hassan Ali is ultimately released and tries to kill people for Allah again, all those responsible for the utterly insane decision to let him roam about freely should themselves be arrested and held accountable for endangering the Canadian public.

Or would that be “Islamophobic”?

Robert Spencer is the director of Jihad Watch and a Shillman Fellow at the David Horowitz Freedom Center. He is author of the New York Times bestsellers The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) and The Truth About Muhammad. His new book is The History of Jihad From Muhammad to ISIS. Follow him on Twitter here. Like him on Facebook here.