CSIS stopped monitoring right-wing extremism months before mosque shooting, watchdog says

OTTAWA–Canada’s spy agency halted a running investigation into right-wing extremism just months before 2017’s mass shooting at a Quebec City mosque.

The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) saw right-wing extremism not as a national security threat, but a “public order threat” to be dealt with by police, according to a new report from the agency’s watchdog.

“(CSIS) found that the majority of right-wing extremism activities consisted of, or were ‘near to,’ lawful protest, advocacy, and dissent,” the report from the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC), released Wednesday, reads.

“CSIS ended its investigation of right-wing extremism in March 2016.”

The agency reversed its decision and re-opened its investigation 10 months later, after Alexandre Bissonnette opened fire at the Grande Mosquée de Québec in January 2017, killing six worshippers.  (more...)

CSIS stopped monitoring right-wing extremism months before mosque shooting, watchdog says

Background:

CSIS, RCMP accused of neglecting far-right threat

After Charlottesville, Canada's spy agency expresses 'concern' about far-right

No scrutiny for the "brothers"?