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Keeping young people from falling into the thrall of violent extremist groups online is one of the goals of a new $4-million program to combat radicalization in Alberta.

Infrastructure and Communities Minister Amarjeet Sohi announced the new federal funding Friday at Edmonton City Hall.

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The program was developed prior to the Sept. 30 truck attack and not in direct response, police spokeswoman Cheryl Sheppard said, although speakers at the event linked the two.

“We believe that the first step of prevention is awareness,” said John McCoy, executive director of the Organization for the Prevention of Violence (OPV). “We need to make the right people aware of this problem, and by that I mean parents and educators — those who can spot early risk — and those who are in law enforcement roles or other roles where they might encounter this particular issue.”

Around $2.2 million over five years will go to the Edmonton Police Service to “discourage individuals from radicalizing to violence by addressing the potential sources of violent extremism available online and offline,” a news release from Public Safety Canada said.