Thread: U.S. praises Canada on terror arrests-blast immigration laws

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Monday » June 5 » 2006

U.S. praises Canada on terror arrests but critics blast immigration laws

Beth Gorham
Canadian Press


Monday, June 05, 2006



U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. (CPimages/AP/Geert Vanden Wijngaert)

WASHINGTON (CP) - Canada's sweeping anti-terror arrests constitute high-profile proof the country's "on the job" when it comes to security, U.S. officials said Sunday as they praised cross-border safety co-operation.

"It's obviously a very great success for the Canadian counterterrorism efforts, which we know have been very robust," said Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. "They're to be congratulated for it.

"Really since Sept. 11, Canada has been very active in the war on terror."

But the breakup of a so-called homegrown terror cell with a huge cache of fertilizer used to make bombs also sparked renewed charges that the border's too porous and Canada's become a haven for terrorists because immigration laws are too lax.

It's a perception Canada has been fighting for years, especially since 1999 when the so-called millennium bomber Ahmed Ressam was stopped by American authorities after entering Washington state with explosives and timing devices.

The criticism intensified after the 9-11 terror attacks and the mistaken belief that some of the suicide hijackers crossed into the U.S. from Canada.

And a recent State Department report last month said Canada's "liberal" immigration system has allowed terrorists to gain asylum there, to raise funds and plan attacks.

While the Bush administration is mostly focused now on the influx of illegal immigrants along the Mexican border, U.S. counterterrorism officials have long worried about terrorists slipping across the northern line.

News of the alleged Canadian bomb plot made headlines across the United States, with some American media organizations saying it has reignited fears about threats from Canada.

"Americans should be very concerned, because Canada is our northern neighbour and there's a large al-Qaida presence in Canada," said New York Republican Peter King, chairman of the House of Representatives homeland security committee.

"I think it's a disproportionate number of al-Qaida in Canada because of their very liberal immigration laws, because of how political asylum is granted so easily."

"Also the previous government, quite frankly, in Canada I don't think was tough enough, as far as going after terrorism."

Michael Wilson, Canada's ambassador to the United States, told CNN he's determined to fight those kind of allegations by bringing officials down to talk to American legislators.

"We disagree with him, but the only way that we address this is by facts, head on, from the people who are responsible for those parts of our policy."

An embassy official said senior Canadian representatives from security, law enforcement and immigration agencies will begin an intense lobbying effort mid-month given the prominence of security issues on Capitol Hill.

Canada has been worried about getting sideswiped in the U.S. immigration debate and plans to send National Guard troops to the southern border with Mexico.

And its massive anti-terror operation is bound to raise questions about the chances of delaying tough new border identification requirements for Canadians crossing land borders into the U.S.

Still, all the praise from official Washington on the arrests of 17 Canadian terror suspects late Friday should make the Canadian lobbying job somewhat easier.

"We have the best possible co-operation," Rice told CNN, adding there's no apparent link or threat to Americans in Canada's bust.

"We have had a very good relationship with Canada in terms of border security."

Asked if there was anything Canada should do right now to improve security, Rice said "we are very comfortable" with the bilateral relationship.

"This shows that the Canadians are on the job. That's what it really shows."

U.S. Homeland Security officials were quick to say Saturday they had no plans to change their safety efforts at the Canada-U.S. border, where there are some 1,000 American patrol agents, while emphasizing they talk "daily" with their northern counterparts.

"We feel very confident in our relationship and the information-sharing," Suzanne Trevino at U.S. Customs and Border Protection, said Sunday.

"We're certainly ready to add people to shifts or have them work overtime but that hasn't been necessary."

Secretary Michael Chertoff spoke about the case Saturday with Canada's Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day.

And FBI Director Robert Mueller was continuously briefed leading up to Friday's arrests, said Special Agent Richard Kolko.

"(Mueller) commends the work of our Canadian partners in the global war on terrorism."

The FBI says two Americans from Georgia, now in custody, took a Greyhound bus and met with some of the Canadian suspects in Toronto in March 2005. They discussed "strategic locations in the United States suitable for a terrorist strike, to include oil refineries and military bases," according to an FBI affidavit.

Authorities on both sides of the border have been co-operating for some time.

"The disruption of this plot and others is an outstanding example of the high level of co-ordination between international law enforcement and intelligence agencies," said Kolko.

"As the investigation continues, we will work with our domestic and international partners to review any intelligence gathered and will conduct any appropriate investigation."

Michigan Senator Carl Levin, a Democrat, also praised Canadian counterterrorism efforts while complaining that garbage trucks from Ontario aren't checked properly and busy border crossings still represent a security threat.

"We worry very much about a huge amount of commerce coming across a bridge and a tunnel in Detroit, a bridge in Port Huron," Levin told CNN.

Virginia Senator George Allen, meanwhile, said "we have to be concerned" about both the Mexican and Canadian borders.

"I think a lot of progress has been made," said Allen. "Now, do we need to do a better job? Obviously. We need to adopt new technologies, new innovative approaches, so that we don't in any way impinge on that good commerce we have between the United States and Canada."

© The Canadian Press 2006








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jimpasz,,

Good post!

And a recent State Department report last month said Canada's "liberal" immigration system has allowed terrorists to gain asylum there, to raise funds and plan attacks.

While the Bush administration is mostly focused now on the influx of illegal immigrants along the Mexican border, U.S. counterterrorism officials have long worried about terrorists slipping across the northern line.

Isn't that a case of the pot calling the kettle black? Our immigration policy doesn't even seem to require any paper work. Ya wanna come in?....well, just do so.

Seriously, 'this anyone can come in' policy from Canada has worried me since 9/11. One of the MSM news magazines showed how easy it is to get in legally to Canada. If I can find a link to that story, I'll post it.

This (mod edit) administration needs to look in the mirror and clean up their own house first before that idiot denigrates other countries for lax immigration laws which are just as open and ineffective as ours. No other country on this planet refuses to secure their borders allowing a massive influx of illegal aliens at a rate of 3.5 million a year or condones the reproduction, distribution and use of fraudulent documentation to gain entrance to this country and access to critical resources on the massive scale that is allowed to occur . This administration needs to wake up and show leadership in the war on terror by showing other nations he is willing to implement the necessary measures to protect this country and it's citizens. Maybe when he has shown he is serious about this other nations may follow suit...what a concept.