'Kill them one by one': B.C. Imam under investigation after spewing hateful rhetoric against Jews and Christians

Source: X

Legal troubles return for Port Coquitlam’s Masjid Al-Hidayah Mosque and Islamic Society of British Columbia as the RCMP opens an investigation into the conduct of its lead imam, Adnan Abyat.

The imam has been accused of inciting hate against Christians and Jews during his Friday, August 2 sermon, which began circulating on social media after being live-streamed on the Masjid Al-Hidayah – ISBC’s YouTube channel.

"In his sermon, Imam Abyat glorified martyrdom through violence, made hateful accusations, and called for the annihilation of Jews and Christians. This kind of hate speech and incitement is unacceptable and has no place in our society," said B’nai Brith Canada when posting part of the sermon to their X account.

Imam Adnan Abyat of the Al Hidiyah Mosque in Port Coquitlam has once again made highly inflammatory and dangerous statements during a recent sermon on August 2. His rhetoric promotes hatred and incites violence against Jews and Christians.

In his sermon, Imam Abyat glorified… pic.twitter.com/BX2SKfKHHB— B'nai Brith Canada (@bnaibrithcanada) August 8, 2024

According to the online sermon, which was in English and Arabic and translated by MEMRI TV, Abyat can be heard glorifying Jihad as the "pinnacle of Islam" and wishing curses upon the "Zionist war machine" and the Christian and atheist nations supporting them, including the United States.

Abyat also prayed for cruelty to Jews and Christians and the killing of those whom he considers hypocrites to Muslims.

"Oh Allah, act with cruelty against [the Palestinians’] enemies — the Jews, plundering Zionists, Christians, and those who aid them. Oh Allah, annihilate the hypocrites of the Islamic nation. Oh Allah, count them, kill them one by one, and do not leave a single one of them."

B’nai Brith Canada, which is recognized as Canada’s oldest human rights organization, claims to have immediately reported the concerning statements to the RCMP as potential unlawful acts under Section 319.2, the willful promotion of hatred. Convictions under this section are punishable by up to two years in prison.

"Coquitlam RCMP is aware of a video posted on social media and has heard the concerns from the community. We are investigating and are asking for the public's support and patience while we work to establish the facts," a Coquitlam RCMP communications officer confirmed with Rebel News. The department added a request that anyone with information regarding the matter contact Coquitlam RCMP at 604-945-1550.

Port Coquitlam Mayor Brad West applauded authorities for taking the matter seriously. "This sort of vile hatred and call for violence and death should never be welcomed in our country, and it sure as hell isn’t welcome in Port Coquitlam," West posted on X. "I implore the relevant authorities to investigate and take action," he concluded.

This sort of vile hatred and call for violence and death should never be welcomed in our country, and it sure as hell isn’t welcome in Port Coquitlam. I implore the relevant authorities to investigate and take action. https://t.co/EDOhqHJj5G

— Brad West (@BradWestPoCo) August 8, 2024

Abyat’s rhetoric bears unsettling similarities to the hateful speech preached by Victoria Imam Sheikh Younus Kathrada, who has never been criminally charged for sermons that encourage the destruction of "the plundering Jews" or compared Jewish people to apes and pigs. If Abyat were to be charged criminally, it wouldn’t be the first time for the Masjid Al-Hidayah.

In 2017, their former Mosque Director, Imam Saadeldin Bahr, was sentenced to three years and six months in prison for the sexual assault of a woman who had come to him for spiritual advice. According to the victim, whose name is protected by a publication ban, Bahr lured her into a storage room in the Mosque, where he assaulted her, claiming his actions were part of "treatment."

After the victim told her family what occurred, Bahr accused the woman of being "delusional" and "under a bad curse." In response to incriminating DNA evidence found inside of the victim, the imam claimed that his DNA could have come from a toilet seat he may have ejaculated on earlier.

In the same year of his conviction, a Canadian Revenue Agency audit of the ISBC Charity, which is run through the Mosque, found $127,000 in questionable expenses during a period when Bahr was directing. The CRA also claimed that the Islamic Society of BC had funding links to a Qatari foundation with ties to the Hamas terrorist group.

In a statement on the Masjid Al-Hidayah website, the religious organization claims to be "against any violence and unjust acts against any Canadian or any human," and that concerns circulating online about Abyat’s sermon are taken out of context and part of a media campaign seeking to frame "the Muslims with wrong accusations" to spread "Islamophobia and encourage violence" against Muslims.

Rebel News contacted Masjid Al-Hidayah and the Islamic Society of BC seeking to clarify which parts of Abyat’s sermon were taken out of context and to understand the true meaning of his words. No response was received.