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They saw it gathering like a storm on the horizon.

Canadian diplomats in the Middle East recognized the Islamic State of Iraq and Al-Sham as a threat to the region and started working to keep it from moving into Iraq and Jordan a year before the U.S., Canada and other allies went to war against the terrorist group. But nobody predicted how strong ISIS was, or how fast it would move.

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In an exclusive interview with the Ottawa Citizen, a senior Canadian diplomat on the ground has revealed how officials took steps to prevent ISIS from “preying” on disenfranchised Sunni Muslims in Iraq months before the group sent shock waves around the world by capturing the city of Mosul in June 2014.

The diplomat, who was interviewed on condition of anonymity and with the government’s permission, also explained how Canada is looking to Jordan’s King Abdullah II as a “champion” for moderation and inclusiveness in the Arab world, which many analysts say is critical to long-term stability in the region.