An Alberta woman whose son was killed while fighting with Islamic extremists in Syria is worried anger over the conflict between Israel and Hamas could lead to an increase in radicalization.

Chris Boudreau says she expects extremist groups are going to seize on the conflict.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what they use to engage 害羞草研究所� the anger, that burning desire on the inside,害羞草研究所� she said in a recent interview with The Canadian Press.

害羞草研究所淗elplessness is a powerful thing. Fear is a powerful thing. And unfortunately, as human beings, emotions tend to prevail over logic.害羞草研究所�

Boudreau害羞草研究所檚 son, 22-year-old Damian Clairmont, converted to Islam as a teen and died in heavy fighting in the city of Aleppo in 2014 as a member of the Islamic State militant group.

Boudreau, who now lives in France, has spoken out for years about the dangers of youth becoming isolated and radicalized.

害羞草研究所淚 think about him every day. It doesn害羞草研究所檛 go away. He was very intelligent and empathetic and felt other people害羞草研究所檚 pain and his biggest frustration was the political system itself,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淭hat害羞草研究所檚 what started it.害羞草研究所�

Boudreau said she worries rising anger makes young people more vulnerable.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 a free-for-all right now. If you look at the weakened state of everybody mentally, the resilience is not there and people are really struggling. So, it害羞草研究所檚 a gold mine,害羞草研究所� she said.

害羞草研究所淵ou can pick and choose (new recruits) right now because it害羞草研究所檚 so easy to get people fired up and fuelled up and joining your cause.害羞草研究所�

On Oct. 7, Hamas and other militants launched a surprise attack in southern Israel that left about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, dead. Some 240 men, women and children were taken hostage.

Israel launched a swift and sustained retaliatory war in the Gaza Strip. The Health Ministry in the Hamas-run territory said as of Friday the death toll had surpassed 17,000, with more than 46,000 wounded. The ministry does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths, but said 70 per cent were women and children.

Amarnath Amarasingam, an assistant professor in religion and political studies at Queen害羞草研究所檚 University in Ontario, said anger is a legitimate response to what害羞草研究所檚 happening and it害羞草研究所檚 difficult to determine how to respond.

害羞草研究所淚 think this conflict in particular has a bizarre ability to short-circuit people害羞草研究所檚 usual commitment to human rights,害羞草研究所� said Amarasingam, who has researched terrorism, radicalization and extremism.

害羞草研究所淗ardliners on both sides tend to waffle, hedge and discount what 害羞草研究所榯heir side害羞草研究所� is doing in a way I害羞草研究所檝e never seen them do with other conflicts.害羞草研究所�

He said there害羞草研究所檚 been an uptick in hate speech and hate crimes on both sides.

害羞草研究所淭he Palestinian cause has always been a key component of the many grievances that jihadist groups discuss in their propaganda,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淭hat part hasn害羞草研究所檛 changed. But there害羞草研究所檚 definitely an increase in the propaganda output by groups like ISIS and (al-Qaida) to try and use the most recent conflict to recruit.害羞草研究所�

Imam Syed Soharwardy, founder of Muslims Against Terrorism and the Islamic Supreme Council of Canada, has been counselling Muslim youth for years in order to combat radicalization.

He said the current situation is different than when the Islamic State group was attempting to lure disenfranchised youth several years ago.

Soharwardy said he has spent the past few weeks telling young people not to follow the path of violence and to express themselves in positive ways, such as writing letters to newspapers and contacting politicians.

害羞草研究所淚t is very hard to satisfy them that you need to control yourself. They listen to me, but I can read their faces that they are not satisfied with my answers,害羞草研究所� Soharwardy said.

害羞草研究所淚 have never seen our youth so angry this time, even after 9/11. It is worse than what ISIS used to do with the brainwashing. At least with ISIS they knew that these people were a bunch of thugs.害羞草研究所�

Soharwardy condemns the Hamas attack but said he害羞草研究所檚 disappointed western and European leaders haven害羞草研究所檛 criticized Israel害羞草研究所檚 response strongly enough. He said anger from the younger generation is also directed at Muslim governments.

害羞草研究所淥ur Muslim youth are more angry at Muslim governments than the western governments. Even this time, Iran did not support Hamas as openly as they used to do. Pakistan did not speak at all 害羞草研究所� and that is a very dangerous thing.害羞草研究所�

Soharwardy said Canada-wide protests have been peaceful for the most part and they allow those who are angry to have an outlet.

害羞草研究所淚f they stop these rallies, it害羞草研究所檚 going to put everything under the table or under the ground, which is very, very dangerous. This is very important they should blow off steam in this peaceful way.害羞草研究所�

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Bill Graveland, The Canadian Press