January 26, 2026
SHARE
CANADALAND
#1302 ISIS is Shockingly Active in Canada
“ They said that Waleed Khan transferred property and funds to ISIS and also was doing the bidding of ISIS and was ready to counsel to commit murders and terrorism.” -Ellin Bessner
Jesse Brown
Host & Publisher
Bruce Thorson
Senior Producer
Tristan Capacchione
Producer
max collins
Director of Audio

  A criminal gang driving around Toronto in stolen vehicles, impersonating police officers, sexually assaulting women, hate-motivated, and connected to ISIS. It was a shocking, sensational, frightening news story. And chances are you didn’t hear about it. Why?

To answer that question we’re joined today by Ellin Bessner. She has worked for CBC, CTV, covered wars in Africa and Kosovo, and most recently she’s a reporter at the Canadian Jewish News. 

Clarification: Bessner covered the war in Kosovo for CTV, but for clarity, she did so while stationed in Italy.

 

Host: Jesse Brown

Credits: Tristan Capacchione (Audio Editor and Technical Producer), Bruce Thorson (Senior Producer), max collins (Director of Audio), Jesse Brown (Editor and Publisher)

Featured Guest: Ellin Bessner

 

Fact checking by Kallan Lyons

Additional music by Audio Network

More information:

Off The Record Call-in show information:

We’re doing ANOTHER call-In show: What’s the big story in your local community?

Canadaland’s news focus is largely national and provincial. Occasionally we’ll talk about something happening in a specific city or town, but local news just isn’t our wheelhouse.

But there are tons of interesting stories happening in small towns across this country. What’s the gossip on your community’s Facebook Group? What’s the heated discussion on your local subreddit.

The call-in period will be this Thursday, January 29th, 4:30-6:30 PM ET. When the time comes, head over to https://callinstudio.com/show/canadaland. You can also dial in at 1-888-401-7056.

 

Sponsors: 

Douglas: Douglas is giving our listeners a FREE Sleep Bundle with each mattress purchase. Get the sheets, pillows, mattress and pillow protectors FREE with your Douglas purchase today.  Visit https://douglas.ca/canadaland to claim this offer.

MUBI: To stream great cinema at home, you can try MUBI free for 30 days at https://mubi.com/canadaland

Article: Article is offering our listeners $50 off your first purchase of $100 or more. To claim, visit https://article.com/canadaland and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

BetterHelp:  Visit https://BetterHelp.com/canadaland today to get 10% off your first month.

 

Can’t get enough Canadaland? Follow @Canadaland_Podcasts on Instagram for clips, announcements, explainers and more.

If you value this podcast, support us! You’ll get premium access to all our shows ad free, including early releases and bonus content. You’ll also get our exclusive newsletter, discounts on merch at our store, tickets to our live and virtual events, and more than anything, you’ll be a part of the solution to Canada’s journalism crisis, you’ll be keeping our work free and accessible to everybody.

More from this series
“ I'm sick. I am fatally ill and keeping me here is cruel. And discrimination is cruel.” -Claire Elyse Brosseau
November 9, 2026
What flavour is Noor’s vape? How did Archie break their leg walking? And as an Albertan, what does Sam think about the referendum now that it’s over?
November 5, 2026
“ I'm a little sad for the students because they were robbed, frankly, of their cause.” -Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, senior envoy for Europe at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies
November 2, 2026
“Every time I feel or hear sirens, I feel like they’re coming for me.” -Daniel Brown, one of the last inmates of Ontario's "training schools"
October 26, 2026
“The idea that we would be having a secession referendum in the most prosperous province, in one of the most successful liberal democracies in the world, is absurd.” -Patrick Lennox, author of On Treason
October 19, 2026
“Public dollars require public accountability, and every publisher in this country should want that.” -David Skok
October 12, 2026
“What’s my crime? Journalism? … I get that I piss off a lot of people with my articles.” -David Pugliese
October 5, 2026
 ”These are a group of white men coming to our area saying, "We bring you the gift of nuclear waste.” - Dennis
October 1, 2026
all podcasts arrow All Podcasts
CANADALAND