A Muslim preacher is being accused of allegedly inciting hatred and violence against Jews and Christians after his sermon was posted online.
“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.
B’nai Brith said that they contacted the RCMP and informed them this could be a breach of Section 319 (2) of the Criminal Code, the wilful promotion of hatred, which carries a maximum sentence of two years imprisonment.
The Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center also reported Abyat to the B.C. RCMP Hate Crime Unit.
“During a sermon earlier this month, Imam Adnan Abyat, based in Port Coquitlam, BC, glorified terror and Hamas leaders, demonized the Jewish people, and incited violence,” said the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center in a post to X.
Coquitlam RCMP told True North they are asking anyone with information to contact them at 604-945-1550.
“Coquitlam RCMP is aware of a video posted on social media and have 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 spokesperson from the RCMP told True North.
The video has been posted on various X accounts and is allegedly from a sermon originally hosted on August 2 at the Masjid Al-Hidayah mosque.
The video contained speech partially in English and partially in Arabic, which MEMRI TV translated.
“One of the highest qualities of a Muslim, one who believes in Allah and His Messenger, is to fight for the sake of Allah and to get killed as a martyr in the cause of Allah,” said Abyat. “There is no life better than this life and there is no death more honourable than this death. The death for the sake of Allah.”
Brad West, the Mayor of Port Coquitlam, called on the authorities to investigate and take action.
“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,” said West.
Abyat also called curses on countries supporting Israel.
“The war machine and the killing machine of the Zionists — may Allah curse them. And the Christians that are supporting them — may Allah curse them. The Christians and Atheist countries that are supporting them, the U.S., and everyone that is supporting them — may Allah curse you,” said Abyat.
While the preacher wished curses upon many foreigners, he also called out those whom he felt betrayed Islam.
“They cannot face them so they come and kill them by betraying them, using the hypocrites from our Islamic nation to guide them towards them. Without the hypocrites that we are living with, they could not achieve anything,” said Abyat. “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.”
True North reached out to Abyat and the Masjid Al-Hidayah mosque for comment but received no reply.
