Amarnath Amarasingam

Over the weekend, news broke about U.S. prosecutors in the Eastern District of Virginia indicting Mohammed Khalifa, a Canadian who traveled to Syria in 2013 and later joined the Islamic state where he became the English language voice for a series of Islamic State propaganda videos. The indictment is a big deal, both because of the person it implicates and because it's a U.S. court trying a Canadian man for crimes committed in Iraq and Syria. To break it all down, Jacob Schulz spoke with Leah West of Carleton University in Canada, and with Amarnath Amarasingam of Queen’s University in Canada. The two are experts on Canadian foreign fighters leaving Canada to go join the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, and they're also in the unique position of having interviewed Khalifa at a Syrian Democratic Forces prison. Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/lawfare. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Amarnath Amarasingam, a senior research fellow specializing in extremism, joins Sri Lankan reporter Roel Raymond to dissect the aftermath of the Easter attacks in Sri Lanka. They discuss the emotional toll on victims and reporters, while highlighting how a radical figure's transformation impacted society. The duo emphasizes the delicate balance in fighting extremism without infringing on human rights and the need for community solidarity amidst rising tensions. Their insights underscore the importance of inclusive policies and national dialogue in addressing these issues.

Amarnath Amarasingam, a Senior Research Fellow at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, provides a deep dive into the devastating Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka. He explores how the attack, resulting in nearly 300 deaths, was both familiar and unprecedented, reflecting a complex history of communal violence. Discussions include the impact of temporary social media bans, the historical context of violence against various communities, and the urgent need for inclusive dialogue to promote coexistence in the face of rising extremism.