ISIS fighter once attended TRU, says report

NEWS — A Calgary man reported to have joined ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) once attended Thompson Rivers University, where he played volleyball and founded a social club, says CBC news.

The story, published Friday and bylined Nadim Roberts, says Collin Gordon and his brother Greg recently converted to Islam and became known as Abdul Malik and Khalid. The story says CBC News has been told that sources in the Calgary Muslim community say the Gordon brothers disappeared in late 2012.

CBC said Collin Gordon also used the name Abu Ibrahim Canadi, and attended both TRU and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology. TRU has a policy of non-disclosure on the names of any students who attend the university.

The Facebook page for the Kamloops Social Club, which CBC says Collin Gordon founded, shows no recent posts. From early 2011 to January 2012, several posts provided calendar items on TRU WolfPack games and other events on campus.

The Facebook page was launched in February 2011. It provides no information about the purposes of the club but CBC says the club hosted several parties and brought both Canadian and international musicians to perform.

“All I know about Collin is that he moved back home (to Calgary) and started to be hardcore Muslim,” CBC quoted a former university friend as saying.

The National Post, following up on the CBC News story, said Collin Gordon was once an accomplished volleyball player, a sports fanatic and music enthusiast.

A Twitter account under the name Abu Ibrahim Canadi is active on subject matter related to ISIS, including a post on the beheading of journalist James Foley.