Terrorist Cells Too Close For Comfort (Just over the border in Canada)

The Washington Times ^ | December 10, 2003 | Jerry Seper

[quidnunc]

Buffalo, N.Y. – They're hiding in plain sight, just north of here — a short striking distance away from some of America's most-vulnerable targets.

This silent army of terrorists, including members of al Qaeda, has the "capability and conviction" to support devastating attacks across North America, operating out of "sleeper cells" from Montreal to Vancouver, according to U.S. and Canadian law-enforcement authorities.

Attorney General John Ashcroft has called the 4,121-mile U.S.-Canada border a "soft spot" for terrorism, and law-enforcement authorities in both countries think that cell members in Canada — and others who have relocated to the United States — are awaiting orders, financing and a window of opportunity to strike again.

And the authorities said the large and growing population of illegal aliens now in the United States gives the would-be terrorists, mostly Islamist extremists, the necessary cover to operate in this country.

"Our mission here is very clear," said Peter J. Smith, who heads the Office of Investigations for the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in New York. "We need to develop the necessary intelligence to harden our border with Canada, to make sure we can protect this country against terrorists — whatever their source."

Since the September 11 attacks on America, transforming the northern border from a vulnerability into a hardened line of defense has become the mission of both ICE and the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), two new agencies within the Department of Homeland Security.

But it is a complicated task, confounded not only by the region's immensity but by a long-standing lack of manpower and technology along the border; the absence of effective efforts to track down illegal aliens in the United States; a lax immigration policy in Canada; and the necessity by ICE and CBP to devise an effective border-enforcement strategy.

"As the guardian of our nation's borders, CBP's priority mission is to prevent terrorists and terrorist weapons from entering the United States," said CBP Commissioner Robert C. Bonner. "To do this, we are for the first time revising and refocusing our border-enforcement efforts both in the north and the south as part of an aggressive strategy of protection.

"Despite the fact we have almost doubled our staff on the northern border, we are doing more than just adding people. We are adding new techniques and technology, new thinking and a new commitment I believe will significantly enhance our ability to detect, identify and respond to border intrusions," Mr. Bonner said.

Although terrorists have assumed the major attention of CBP and ICE, the two agencies are still responsible for the detection and apprehension of illegal aliens. Although stemming their flow has been a major concern along the 1,940-mile U.S.-Mexico border, where thousands daily cross into the United States and disappear, it never has been a priority along the northern border.

That fact exacerbates concerns that terrorists will use America's porous back door to gain access from Canada and hide among the millions of illegal aliens who have found refuge in the United States, such as those from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Yemen, Algeria and 60 other countries who annually sneak into this country across the Canadian border.

Nearly 300,000 immigrants are admitted each year to Canada, some of whom have been identified by authorities as terrorists looking for safe haven. But because Canada does not detain refugee claimants, even those with questionable backgrounds, more than 10,000 disappear each year into Canada's ethnic communities.

-snip-

[thegreatbeast]

Hell, no need to worry about Canada. Al Qaeda is already here.

[concerned about politics]

Personally, I'd feel better if we secured the Canadian border as good as the Mexican border ( and that one isn't even good enough).

[Mr. Mojo]

And the authorities said the large and growing population of illegal aliens now in the United States gives the would-be terrorists, mostly Islamist extremists, the necessary cover to operate in this country.

The U.S. is on a suicide mission.

[concerned about politics]

PC kills. If it's not deadly , it's not liberal enough.

[Malesherbes]

I'll give odds that the next major terrorist atrocity to hit the United States will be traced to sources in Canada. Then what? At least Jean Chretien leaves office on Friday.

[Mr. Mojo]

It kills indeed. After 9/11 there is no excuse whatsoever to continue to allow our nation to be infested with illegals, and if GWB doesn't make some strong moves to rectify the problem before the election, he could very well pay with his job. The vast majority of the American people want our borders protected and the illegals booted out, but the Republicrats are too blinded by greed and political correctness to do a damn thing about it.

[American in Israel]

Quite possible, because closing the border works both ways. But I bet the next terrorist attacks all have one thing in common, they are set up by the mosques within America's borders.

There is a concerted effort by the State Department to aid the downfall of the Constitution of the United States by aiding and abeting the placement of terror cells all across America. The Moslems are but a willing tool.

Gun control, abortion, massive taxation and incrediblely useless pork projects to burn any remaining capitol that anyone has, has one purpose, the destruction of America as we know it.

Can't have a New World Order if America is free and productive. So kill them off, bankrupt them and make a police state. Most important, destroy Christianity, as it is the moral strength of the Nation. Morality must be stamped out every where it is found, because the first task in war is to demoralize the enemy.

Evil lurks in the minds of men...

[mercy]

Dear Honest Hardworking Innocent Moslem residing within the United States or Canada.

You better damn well look around your mosque and figure out who the bad guys are .... real fast, and then turn them in. Because they are going to take you down with them. If you think we all are going to sit back and do nothing if your brethren pull off another 9/11 ... you are daft. (that's English for stupid crazy)

[Tailgunner Joe]

bttt

[Fledermaus]

Hopefully the'll learn from the Canadians and become too lazy to do anything.

[Pro-Bush]

BUMP!

Nearly 300,000 immigrants are admitted each year to Canada, some of whom have been identified by authorities as terrorists looking for safe haven. But because Canada does not detain refugee claimants, even those with questionable backgrounds, more than 10,000 disappear each year into Canada's ethnic communities.

Those damn Canadians again.

[Fledermaus]

Suicide bombings. They'll be the next wave in America. I know this is sick, but at least if a few restaurants and malls are blown up, then the idiots in our country that don't care about terrorism and pretend a war doesn't exist (the left mostly) will wake up again.

And also, they'll have (I'd hope) more sympathy with what Israel has to put up with.

I just hope it's some trendy restaurants full of left wing liberals in New York or Hollywood. Because I'm convinced they will go this route soon as an act of desperation and miscalculation when they assume the anti-war idiots will gain strength.

But just like 9/11, it will backfire and we'll probably throw out every Muslim, crack down on domestic terrorism in ways that whiners about the Patriot Act can't even fathom, and hopefully close our borders for real.

And if they blow up people in the red states of true America, that response will probably be times ten when the "independents" and "moderates" finally get jolted into getting off the fence in the middle of the road.

[tubavil]

Let's see now...

Massive AQ presence in Canada...DUH!
Canada has a muslim terrorist friendly immigration policy...DUH!
Our borders, North and South, suck...DUH!
AQ is in US cities bordering Canada...DUH!

What next? The revelation muslim terrorists want to kill us? Hard-hitting investigative journalism from the WT. BAH!

[Free Trapper]

Your statement would make a good tagline.Well said.

[Pro-Bush]

BUMP!

[Cindy]

LINKS OF INTEREST:

WASHINGTON TIMES.com: "DRUG SMUGGLERS TURN TO NORTHERN BORDER" by Jerry Seper (December 9, 2003) (Read More...)

NATIONAL POST.com ( A Part of CANADA.com): "AL-QAEDA TAPE PRAISES CANADIAN AS HERO, MARTYR Video Depicts Terrorist Training and Attacks in 'Jihad Lands'" by Stewart Bell (December 6, 2003) (Read More...)

CANADA.com: "KHADR ADMITS GETTING AL-QAIDA ARMS TRAINING Canadian citizen held by the U.S. military calls on Ottawa to help win release of his brother, accused of killing an American soldier" by Mike Blanchfield, The Ottawa Citizen (December 2, 2003) (Read More...)

CTV.ca: "TERRORIST SUSPECT KHADR BACK IN CANADA: REPORT" (Updated December 1, 2003) (Read More...)

THE STAR.com - THE TORONTO STAR: "KHADR WELCOME TO RETURN, SAYS CANADA" by Tim Harper (November 26, 2003) (Read More...)

BORDERLANDNEWS.com - EL PASO TIMES.com: "NM COUPLE ACCUSED OF SMUGGLING PEOPLE" (December 2, 2003) (Read More...)

KVIA.com: "DRUG SMUGGLERS RESORT TO OLD WEST STYLE OF USING HORSES" (December 2, 2003) (Read More...)

WorldNetDaily.com: "TERRORIST BASE SOUTH OF BORDER" (ARTICLE SNIPPET: "At this stage the growing danger is that of militant Islam penetrating Mexico, a country with an increasing Muslim community, including Muslim converts. Some of them have ties to the Mexican community and to illegal immigrants' smugglers operating in American states bordering Mexico, especially those with connections in the greater Los Angeles area and other major cities.") (December 1, 2003) (Read More...)

INDYSTAR.com - INDIANAPOLIS STAR: "PROBE OF BMV LICENSE FRAUD WIDENS 9 Counties May Be Involved; Mexican Citizen Also Charged" (December 2, 2003) (Read More...)

NY DAILY NEWS.com: "UNSECURE BORDERS INVITING DISEASE, PESTS - AND TERROR" -Column by Lou Dobbs (November 30, 2003) (Read More...)

NY POST.com - Post Opinion/OpEd Columnists: "HOW TERRORISTS THINK" by Brian Bloomquist (December 1, 2003) (Read More)

[Dr. Scarpetta]

Mr. Stein said because 2,000 agents have been assigned to look for as many as 12 million illegal aliens, there is "virtually no possibility" that foreigners residing illegally in this country will be detected, apprehended or removed.

BUMP

[aculeus]

Hard-hitting investigative journalism from the WT. BAH!

BAH yourself. This may not be news to news junkies but the government needs to be pressured about this threat and repetition is a valid method of persuasion.

[Dante3]

Good article.