News Agencies – February 16, 2012
Imam Aly Hindy of Toronto’s Salaheddin mosque has long been known for his controversial comments. He called the 9/11 attacks a joint CIA operation, refused to join other imams in signing a statement condemning the 2005 London bombings and referred to the Toronto 18 terrorists as good people.
But while he remains as provocative as ever, the institution that serves as his platform has undergone a notable shift: According to federal charity records, the Salaheddin Islamic Centre is being increasingly financed by foreign patrons. Almost a quarter of the centre’s revenues came from outside Canada in 2010, figures posted on the Canada Revenue Agency website show. Three unnamed foreign donors provided $931,000 of the centre’s almost $4-million in revenues that year. Imam Hindy said his centre was “not so dependent on foreign revenues.” He said it was simply going through an expansion phase that cost more than he was able to raise in Canada.
“We have purchased a building in Mississauga for $1.7-million and renovated by about $150K. We expanded our building in Scarborough so far by $1.5-million. We have now a full time elementary and secondary School up to Grade 12.
Imam Hindy has been critiqued by the Muslim Canadian Congress for “humiliating remarks” about homosexuals, and for trying to make the case that it didn’t matter if Canada accepted homosexuals because Islam did not.
