Statement on the Deportation of Mahmoud Mohammad Issa Mohammad

OTTAWA, May 13, 2013 /CNW/ - Today, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration Jason Kenney announced the deportation of Mahmoud Mohammad Issa Mohammad to Lebanon. Mohammad, a former terrorist affiliated with the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, was convicted in a deadly 1968 attack on an Israeli passenger airliner in Greece and subsequently freed after Palestinian terrorists hijacked another airliner and threatened to blow it up unless he was released. He moved to Ontario in 1987 and has since been fighting deportation efforts by Canadian authorities through a protracted series of appeals after the Government of Canada discovered his true identity and terrorist activities in 1988. 

In response to today's announcement, Shimon Koffler Fogel, CEO of the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs, issued the following statement: 

"We applaud Minister Kenney for this weekend's deportation. It is a relief that, although long delayed, justice was ultimately not denied in this case. 

"This particular file, which stems back to the 1980's, underscores the imperative of the government's recent efforts to strengthen the efficiency and responsiveness of our immigration and refugee system. For just as it is critical that we provide swift and compassionate support to legitimate refugees, it is likewise essential that we prevent Canada from being used as a safe haven for terrorists." 

The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs is a non-partisan organization that serves as the advocacy arm of the Jewish Federations of Canada.

SOURCE: Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs

For more information or to arrange an interview with Shimon Koffler Fogel, please contact:

Jordan Kerbel
Deputy Director, Communications and Advocacy Training
[email protected]
[phone]