Is Al-Shabaab Going to Target Canada?

The headlines make a recent taped threat, if it can even be called that, seem quite ominous but don’t expect all hell to break loose in Toronto anytime soon. This is the result of a rant – not a new strategic initiative.

Details from the National Post:

“The English-language message specifically called for terrorist attacks in Canada and said it was a duty for Muslims to fight for Islam, urging listeners not to “just sit around and be a couch potato and just chill all day.”

“My brothers and sisters, do jihad in America, do jihad in Canada, do jihad in England [and] anywhere in Europe, in Asia, in Africa, in China, in Australia – anywhere you find kuffar [infidels],” it says.”

In short, it’s no different than any other martyrdom tape released in the past thirty years. Canada is not, nor will it be anytime soon, a priority target, for al-Shabaab or Islamic terrorists in general.

Recommended on Twitter: @allthingsct. Leah Farrall is an ex-counterterrorism analyst; returned academic type w/ background in IR.