A hate crimes investigation has been launched against a Toronto college student accused of running a Web site that calls Jews "the scum of the earth" and "mass murderers."
The Hate Crimes/Extremism Investigative Team, comprised of representatives of 13 Ontario municipal police forces, and the Ontario Provincial Police are investigating the Web postings of Salman Hossein, who attends York University.
The development comes months after officials in Ontario decided not to charge Hossain with hate crimes, partly because he was undergoing rehabilitation, the National Post newspaper reported Wednesday.
Now posting at the Arizona-based Web site filthyjewishterrorists.com, Hossain has written that Jews were "seriously attempting another 9-11 on Canadian soil," and that if such an attack was carried out and blamed on "innocent Muslims, then it is obvious that a genocide should be perpetrated against the Jewish populations of North America and Europe." His site also calls Jews "diseased and filthy" and "psychotic."
Canada's hate crimes law prohibits supporting or promoting genocide, as well as the communication of statements -- other than in private conversation -- that willfully promote hatred against an identifiable group.
In an e-mail exchange with a National Post reporter, Hossain was unapologetic, saying "it's not my fault you people rape babies, then cry foul when someone exposes it."
Last year the hate crimes unit concluded a lengthy investigation into Hossain's writings and brought the case to Ontario's attorney general, who decided not to press criminal charges because he said Hossain had removed the postings in question, had refrained from similar conduct for more than a year and was undergoing rehabilitation.