{{Short description|Canadian security intelligence operative and activist}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}
'''Huda Mukbil''' is a Canadian former security intelligence operative and prominent social activist.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hammond |first=Joseph |date=2021-07-09 |title=Ex-employee alleges discrimination over Muslim faith at Canada's top spy agency |url=https://broadview.org/huda-mukbil-csis/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Broadview Magazine |language=en}}</ref>
== Early life == Mukbil was born into a middle-class family in Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, and her family fled during the Ethiopian Civil War in the 70s. She and her family spent some time in Egypt before immigrating to Canada. She graduated from Carleton University and received a B.A. in Law then obtaining an M.A. in Feminist and Gender Studies from the University of Ottawa.<ref>{{cite book |title=Diversity and Inclusion: A National Security Imperative |publisher=University of Ottawa |url=https://pdinstitute.uottawa.ca/PDI/Courses/National-Security/Diversity_and_Inclusion_A_National_Security_Imperative/Course.aspx?CourseCode=S0099}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Mukbil |first1=Huda |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=98KuEAAAQBAJ&dq=counting+her+time+in+dire+dawa,+ethiopia,+where+i+was+born.&pg=PA3 |title=Agent of Change My Life Fighting Terrorists, Spies, and Institutional Racism |date=2023 |publisher=McGill-Queen's University Press |pages=3–4|isbn=978-0-2280-1656-4 }}</ref>
== Career == Mukbil joined the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) a month before the September 11 attacks, becoming the first ''"Black Arab-Canadian Muslim spy"''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Paradkar |first=Shree |date=2023-07-19 |title=Opinion: She was a Muslim spy at the forefront of CSIS's fight against terrorism. Then, she turned whistleblower |url=https://www.thestar.com/opinion/star-columnists/she-was-a-muslim-spy-at-the-forefront-of-csis-s-fight-against-terrorism-then/article_ba0330cf-c7fa-5902-a0c8-2e2c12b1401c.html |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Toronto Star |language=en}}</ref> In 2005, she worked with British intelligence service MI5 to interpret telephone conversations of London bombing suspect Hamdi Isaac who spoke Arabic and Harari.<ref>{{cite book |title=Veil of Secrecy: The Muslim-Canadian Spy Who Took Down London Extremists |publisher=SPYSCAPE |url=https://spyscape.com/article/veil-of-secrecy-the-muslim-canadian-spy-who-took-down-london-extremists}}</ref>
Before leaving her position at CSIS in 2017, she would be part of a seven figure legal action against her employer.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Ashley |last2=Everson |first2=Kristen |date=June 29, 2021 |title=A Muslim former intelligence officer says systemic racism at CSIS is a threat to national security |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/racism-descrimination-claims-canadian-security-intelligence-service-1.6083353 |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=CBC News}}</ref> She accused CSIS of tolerating racism and sexism within their departments, among other charges.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mukbil |first=Huda |date=August 15, 2023 |title=Book excerpt: Huda Mukbil writes on racism at CSIS, Canada's spy agency |url=https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/book-excerpt-author-huda-mukbil-writes-on-racism-at-csis-canadas-spy-agency |access-date=October 29, 2024 |work=Ottawa Citizen}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-11-30 |title=CSIS whistleblowers faced hurdles seeking justice and telling their stories |url=https://kitchener.citynews.ca/2023/11/30/csis-whistleblowers-faced-hurdles-seeking-justice-and-telling-their-stories/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=CityNews |language=en}}</ref>
Mukbil entered politics in 2021 Canadian federal election, running as a New Democratic Party nominee in the Ottawa South riding.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Khan |first=Tamanna |date=2021-08-27 |title=First time Ottawa South NDP candidate fights for an equitable Canada |url=https://capitalcurrent.ca/first-time-ottawa-south-ndp-candidate-fights-for-an-equitable-canada/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=Capital Current |language=en-CA}}</ref>
In 2023, she released her memoir titled ''"Agent Of Change: My Life Fighting Terrorists, Spies and Institutional Racism"''.<ref>{{cite web |title=BOOK TALK | Huda Mukbil- Agent of Change |url=https://www.mqup.ca/book-talk----huda-mukbil--agent-of-change-events-958.php |website=McGill-Queen's University Press}}</ref> In 2024 it won the Ottawa Book Award for best non-fiction in its category.<ref>{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2024-10-16 |title=Three local writers win 2024 Ottawa Book Awards |url=https://ottawa.ca/en/city-hall/city-news/newsroom/three-local-writers-win-2024-ottawa-book-awards |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=City of Ottawa |language=en}}</ref>
== Personal life == Mukbil is a Canadian Citizen of Harari and Yemeni background. She is also a Muslim.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hamamdjian |first=Daniele |date=2023-06-04 |title=Huda Mukbil, CSIS's first Black Arab-Canadian Muslim spy, opens up about her fight against terrorism and discrimination |url=https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/huda-mukbil-csis-s-first-black-arab-canadian-muslim-spy-opens-up-about-her-fight-against-terrorism-and-discrimination-1.6426504 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230604122217/https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/huda-mukbil-csis-s-first-black-arab-canadian-muslim-spy-opens-up-about-her-fight-against-terrorism-and-discrimination-1.6426504 |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 4, 2023 |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=CTVNews |language=en}}</ref>
==References== <references />
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mukbil, Huda}} Category:Living people Category:Canadian Sunni Muslims Category:Carleton University alumni Category:University of Ottawa alumni Category:Canadian women civil rights activists Category:New Democratic Party candidates in the 2021 Canadian federal election Category:Ontario candidates for Member of Parliament Category:Ethiopian emigrants to Canada Category:Canadian people of Yemeni descent Category:Black Canadian activists Category:Black Canadian politicians Category:People from Dire Dawa Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Canadian spies Category:21st-century spies Category:Canadian feminists Category:Black Canadian women in politics