Post by ocelot on Jun 3, 2006 11:49:30 GMT -5
Terrorist plot "inspired by al-Qaida:" CSIS; 3 tonnes of explosives found
TORONTO (CP) - A series of terrorist attacks plotted against unspecified targets in southern Ontario were "inspired by al-Qaida," a CSIS official said Saturday, adding that the ring of suspects arrested posed a "real and serious" threat.
Three tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer used to make explosives, were recovered by police, who say that's three times the amount used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people.
"It was their intent to use it for a terrorist attack," said RCMP assistant commissioner Mike McDonell.
"If I can put this in context for you, the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people was completed with only one tonne of ammonium nitrate." "This group posed a real and serious threat," he added. "It had the capacity and intent to carry out these acts."
The RCMP arrested and charged 12 men and five people under 18.
Of the adults, six are from Mississauga, just outside Toronto; four are from Toronto itself and two are from Kingston in the eastern part of the province.
Most were Canadian citizens or residents. Police described them as coming from a variety of backgrounds. The adults range in age from 19 to 43.
The suspects were to appear in a Brampton court Saturday afternoon, where the police presence was so intense it resembled an armed camp.
Police refused to say what the terror suspects considered targets, although officials ruled out the Toronto Transit Commission - a public transit system that includes buses, subways and streetcars. A report in a Toronto newspaper citing sources said a CSIS building in downtown Toronto near the CN Tower as a target as well the Parliament buildings and a smattering of other high-profile, heavily populated areas.
All entrances to the Brampton court house were blockaded by steel barriers and police cruisers and manned by teams of officers.
Spectators were scrutinized at a series of three command checkpoints by tactical officers carrying M16 assault rifles and MP5 submachine guns and were aided by bomb-sniffing dogs.
Spectators were required to remove their shoes.
The suspects were arrested Friday night in a massive sweep in co-operation with an Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, or INSET.
INSET teams are made up of members of the RCMP, CSIS, federal agencies such as the Canada Border Services Agency and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and provincial and municipal police services.
Luc Portelance, of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said the suspects were all adherents of a violent ideology.
"For various reasons, they appear to have become adherents of a violent ideology inspired by al-Qaida," Portelance said, although officials stressed there's no direct link between those charged to the terrorist network.
The dramatic events raised the chilling prospect of a terrorist assault on Canadian soil - which authorities have feared since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S.
"This is the largest counter-terrorism operation and arrests in Canada since the creation of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the amendment of the Criminal Code to better define terrorism," Portelance said.
"It is important to know that this operation in no way reflects negatively on any specific community or ethnocultural group in Canada. Terrorism is a dangerous ideology, and a global phenomenon. As - yesterday's arrests demonstrate, Canada is not immune from this ideology."
-
TORONTO (CP) - A list of the adults arrested and charged with offences under the Criminal Code of Canada. Five youths, who cannot be named, were also charged:
1. Fahim Ahmad, 21, Toronto;
2. Zakaria Amara, 20, Mississauga, Ont.;
3. Asad Ansari, 21, Mississauga;
4. Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, Mississauga;
5. Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, Mississauga;
6. Mohammed Dirie, 22, Kingston, Ont.;
7. Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, Kingston;
8. Jahmaal James, 23, Toronto;
9. Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, Toronto;
10. Steven Vikash Chand alias Abdul Shakur, 25, Toronto;
11. Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, Mississauga;
12. Saad Khalid, 19, of Eclipse Avenue, Mississauga.
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OTTAWA (CP) - Statement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper regarding terrorism-related arrests of 12 men and five youths, all from Ontario:
"This morning, Canadians awoke to the news that our law enforcement and national security agencies have arrested 17 individuals for terrorism related offences.
"These individuals were allegedly intent on committing acts of terrorism against their own country and their own people.
"As we have said on many occasions, Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism. Through the work and co-operation of the RCMP, CSIS, local law enforcement and Toronto's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET), acts of violence by extremist groups may have been prevented.
"Today, Canada's security and intelligence measures worked. Canada's new government will pursue its efforts to ensure the national security of all Canadians."
TORONTO (CP) - A series of terrorist attacks plotted against unspecified targets in southern Ontario were "inspired by al-Qaida," a CSIS official said Saturday, adding that the ring of suspects arrested posed a "real and serious" threat.
Three tonnes of ammonium nitrate, a commonly used fertilizer used to make explosives, were recovered by police, who say that's three times the amount used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people.
"It was their intent to use it for a terrorist attack," said RCMP assistant commissioner Mike McDonell.
"If I can put this in context for you, the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people was completed with only one tonne of ammonium nitrate." "This group posed a real and serious threat," he added. "It had the capacity and intent to carry out these acts."
The RCMP arrested and charged 12 men and five people under 18.
Of the adults, six are from Mississauga, just outside Toronto; four are from Toronto itself and two are from Kingston in the eastern part of the province.
Most were Canadian citizens or residents. Police described them as coming from a variety of backgrounds. The adults range in age from 19 to 43.
The suspects were to appear in a Brampton court Saturday afternoon, where the police presence was so intense it resembled an armed camp.
Police refused to say what the terror suspects considered targets, although officials ruled out the Toronto Transit Commission - a public transit system that includes buses, subways and streetcars. A report in a Toronto newspaper citing sources said a CSIS building in downtown Toronto near the CN Tower as a target as well the Parliament buildings and a smattering of other high-profile, heavily populated areas.
All entrances to the Brampton court house were blockaded by steel barriers and police cruisers and manned by teams of officers.
Spectators were scrutinized at a series of three command checkpoints by tactical officers carrying M16 assault rifles and MP5 submachine guns and were aided by bomb-sniffing dogs.
Spectators were required to remove their shoes.
The suspects were arrested Friday night in a massive sweep in co-operation with an Integrated National Security Enforcement Team, or INSET.
INSET teams are made up of members of the RCMP, CSIS, federal agencies such as the Canada Border Services Agency and Citizenship and Immigration Canada, and provincial and municipal police services.
Luc Portelance, of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said the suspects were all adherents of a violent ideology.
"For various reasons, they appear to have become adherents of a violent ideology inspired by al-Qaida," Portelance said, although officials stressed there's no direct link between those charged to the terrorist network.
The dramatic events raised the chilling prospect of a terrorist assault on Canadian soil - which authorities have feared since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the U.S.
"This is the largest counter-terrorism operation and arrests in Canada since the creation of the Anti-Terrorism Act and the amendment of the Criminal Code to better define terrorism," Portelance said.
"It is important to know that this operation in no way reflects negatively on any specific community or ethnocultural group in Canada. Terrorism is a dangerous ideology, and a global phenomenon. As - yesterday's arrests demonstrate, Canada is not immune from this ideology."
-
TORONTO (CP) - A list of the adults arrested and charged with offences under the Criminal Code of Canada. Five youths, who cannot be named, were also charged:
1. Fahim Ahmad, 21, Toronto;
2. Zakaria Amara, 20, Mississauga, Ont.;
3. Asad Ansari, 21, Mississauga;
4. Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, Mississauga;
5. Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, Mississauga;
6. Mohammed Dirie, 22, Kingston, Ont.;
7. Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, Kingston;
8. Jahmaal James, 23, Toronto;
9. Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, Toronto;
10. Steven Vikash Chand alias Abdul Shakur, 25, Toronto;
11. Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, Mississauga;
12. Saad Khalid, 19, of Eclipse Avenue, Mississauga.
-
OTTAWA (CP) - Statement by Prime Minister Stephen Harper regarding terrorism-related arrests of 12 men and five youths, all from Ontario:
"This morning, Canadians awoke to the news that our law enforcement and national security agencies have arrested 17 individuals for terrorism related offences.
"These individuals were allegedly intent on committing acts of terrorism against their own country and their own people.
"As we have said on many occasions, Canada is not immune to the threat of terrorism. Through the work and co-operation of the RCMP, CSIS, local law enforcement and Toronto's Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET), acts of violence by extremist groups may have been prevented.
"Today, Canada's security and intelligence measures worked. Canada's new government will pursue its efforts to ensure the national security of all Canadians."
