It was a pleasant night in September and many Edmonton residents, knowing the long winter was just around the corner, didn’t want to miss a chance to enjoy a beautiful evening. The fun came to a tragic halt when five people, including a policeman, were injured following a terrorist attack that played out across the city.

A car rammed into Const. Mike Chernyk and the driver then repeatedly stabbed the officer before fleeing on foot. Hours later, during a traffic stop, police say they recognized the driver of a cargo van as the suspect and a chase ensued during which the van struck four pedestrians …

Terrorism begins with the sowing of hatred and extremism. Using state-of-the-art propaganda tactics, ISIS feeds on the idea that Muslims are persecuted in the West in order to motivate them to join its ranks in Iraq and Syria. The “westerner” is portrayed as a menace and as an enemy who wants to push Muslims to change their identities. This rhetoric is the catalyst of hatred and extremism.

The Soufan Group, which provides strategic security intelligence services to governments and multinational organizations, says between 27,000 and 31,000 people globally have travelled to Syria and Iraq to join the Islamic State and other violent extremist groups in the region.