What should the Canadian government do about returning extremist travellers who have been involved with the so-called Islamic State (IS)? Should the government develop a gender-informed response to deal with male and female members of IS? What are some of the major causes of radicalization leading some Canadians to join IS? What are the views of the Muslim community in Canada concerning these issues? Based on 674 responses gathered during phone interviews and face-to-face meetings with members of the Muslim community in the Greater Toronto Area, the empirical data demonstrate, among many other things, strong support for repatriating Canadian IS members in custody in Syria and Iraq — in particular, women with children.
Keywords: returning extremist travellers, foreign fighters, the Islamic State, countering violent extremist, counter terrorism