In the early days of Little Green Footballs, following the 9/11 attacks, we discovered an incredibly vile Islamic discussion forum known as ClearGuidance, self-described as “a resource guide for Muslim American teenagers,” where Muslim kids traded decapitation videos and jihad talk.

Today the Globe and Mail reports that at least two of the suspects accused of plotting massive terror attacks in Canada were regular posters on ClearGuidance.com.

HOUSTON and TORONTO — Fahim Ahmad needed a fix — and he knew exactly where to get it.

It was January 15, 2003 — three years before he became the first man accused of leading an al-Qaeda-inspired terrorism plot on Canadian soil. Mr. Ahmad had begun turning to his computer for religious gratification. His destination was the same place thousands of young Muslims across North America and Britain went for advice on being a good Muslim.

He went to ClearGuidance.com, an Islamic website and forum that became a destination for thousands of teenagers between 2001 and 2004. It was there they asked questions of both minor consequence — Should U.S. Muslims say the pledge of allegiance in public schools? — and serious consequence — Is it permissible to attack innocent civilians in the name of Allah?

In less than a year after ClearGuidance’s inception in 2001, it expanded to nearly 2,700 members. As it grew more popular, it grew out of control and, The Globe and Mail has learned, sparked numerous inquiries from Western intelligence agencies, including the Canadian Security Intelligence Service.

CSIS first took an interest in Mr. Ahmad and Zakaria Amara — the two alleged leaders of the 17 Toronto-area men arrested in June — because of their posts on ClearGuidance.

In the weeks after the June raids, many friends of the suspects — as well as those who prayed alongside them in their Mississauga and Scarborough mosques — wondered what it was that pushed the group of mostly young men and teenagers to such extreme opinions. For the most part their parents, including Mr. Ahmad’s mother and father, weren’t religious.

A Globe and Mail investigation has revealed that at least part of the answer lies with ClearGuidance and its creator — a 23-year-old man who lives in the heart of Republican America: Houston, Texas. The son of Pakistani immigrants, Sarfaraz Jamal’s penchant for programming and vision of Islam allowed everyone to throw in their own two cents, no matter how peaceful or angry.

This is one message posted on ClearGuidance, to give you an idea of what was taking place there in August 2002, as “jihadi” Ibn Musa lovingly relates how he’d slaughter an infidel:

EA..oKay..and hey….when u DO i.then DO it soo badly that he spits out blood and and starts crying really badly…stab him till da muslim blood from his abdomen comes out …and ….ermmmm….lets make this more freaky….hey CUT his head off …. i mean like not FAST….i mean cut it in a SLOW MOTION….and let him shout …cry….and do anything he wants lol……then leave him alone…on the floor….let the blood come out from his THROAT…+ ABDOMEN….and yea yea yea…lol…. and wait till he dies okay….when he dies….then give him a KICK and tell him that it was from IBN MUSA lol…hey we dont want kumo sis or anyone to faint while lukin at theyr own thread rite?…so ST OP it here man..lets do this in DA BRO AREA …..

“Da bro area” was a private area of the forum “for brothers only.”

And this was the first “Announcement” from the administrator of ClearGuidance, Sarfaraz Jamal:

We need youth to fight in the way of ALLAH in Kashmir, India, Chechniyah, Afghanistan, Philistine, and wherever we are being oppressed. Leave your plans of al wahn and adopt a new plan which will help the ummah, do not be selfish, this life is cheap, whereas the life of islam, will grant you your desires in this life and the next life.

Previous LGF entries about ClearGuidance.com.