7th Quebecer goes missing after leaving for Turkey
Facebook profile says student studied at Collège de Maisonneuve along with 4 others who went missing
A seventh young Quebecer hasn't been heard from since leaving for Turkey earlier this year, CBC's French-language service Radio-Canada has learned.
- Syrian jihadists believed to have recruited 6 young Quebecers
- Young Canadian radicals who've travelled overseas
Radio-Canada reported last month that at least six young Quebecers from Montreal and Laval had left the country in January to join militants in Syria.
The young Quebecers are believed to have flown from Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport to Turkey in January, hoping to make their way into Syria.
The student discovered missing most recently is believed to have been in contact with at least one of those six individuals, and also reportedly left the country in mid-January.
According to his Facebook profile, the student studied at the Collège de Maisonneuve, as did four of the other Quebecers who went missing earlier this year.
The student lived in Montreal but went missing in Laval, according to his Facebook profile.
In 2013, he signed up for two courses at an Islamic centre led by Adil Charkaoui, a Moroccan-born Montrealer who years ago successfully challenged being held on a security certificate.
Collège de Maisonneuve suspended its space-rental contract with Charkaoui last month after it was reported at least one of the students that had travelled to Turkey had been in his class.
Charkaoui has denied any wrongdoing and has "categorically" rejected the suspension of the contract.
Ian Lafrenière, a spokesman for Montreal police, said investigators look into all instances where a person is reported missing.
But once it's been determined that a person has left the country, Lafrenière said the case is "over for us" and any information is handed over to federal counterparts.
Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre announced plans last Monday to set up a centre aimed at preventing "violent radicalization." That centre is to involve partners from various sectors, including health and social services, public safety and education.
In a statement Saturday, Collège de Maisonneuve said it was aware of reports another one of its students had left for Turkey.
The college said it was working with authorities to minimize any risk to students and put preventative measures in place.