Posted on 02/05/2006 4:06:49 AM PST by Tyche
Will watch for terrorists, drug-runners and illegal immigrants
EDMONTON --The United States will be using Blackhawk helicopters and planes along the Montana border with Alberta and Saskatchewan to watch for terrorists, drug-runners and illegal immigrants.
The aircraft will be equipped with cutting-edge photographic surveillance and monitoring equipment to watch for any suspicious activity, a spokesman for Montana Republican Senator Conrad Burns said Friday.
Matt Mackowiak said the beefed-up border security comes in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on the U.S.
"(Sept. 11) taught us a lot, and the northern border requires greater security and greater surveillance,'' Mackowiak said from Washington, D.C.
"I think the Congress, the administration and the American people are committed to making sure we are doing everything we can to protect America.''
This is the third of five special surveillance units to open along the U.S. border with Canada. The air unit will be based in Great Falls, Mont.
Last year, Burns secured an $18-million US appropriation from the Department of Homeland Security for the Montana air unit, putting it ahead of schedule by one year. It's expected to start operations this summer.
The air border patrol is intended to provide a rapid response in the event of another terrorist attack, Mackowiak said.
Apart from terrorists, the aircraft will be used for drug enforcement and immigration control.
Mackowiak called it a win-win situation, saying increased border security benefits both countries.
But any time there is increased surveillance there are civil liberties and privacy concerns, he acknowledged.
"We are not trying to interrupt the honest flow of goods and services and commerce between Montana and Canada,'' Mackowiak said. "It's in everyone's interest to facilitate as much of that as possible.''
Canadian officials had little comment about the U.S. plan.
"Canada recognizes that every country has the right to protect its borders,'' said Kara Prest, a spokeswoman for the Canada Border Services Agency.
The first surveillance unit was announced in 2004, and has been operating out of Bellingham in Washington state. Another unit opened in upstate New York, south of the border with Quebec.
Mackowiak said both of those units have intercepted large drug shipments and have made arrests.
The U.S. also plans to set up air border patrols in North Dakota and Michigan in the future.
The government operates similar patrols along the U.S.-Mexico border.
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And randomly search little old blue haired ladies while letting obvious Mid-East appearing middle aged men go through checkpoints at airports.
Man I certainly feel safer after all this money and time has been spent.
The only thing concrete I've seen so far concerning homeland security is a new cigarette boat with a M-60 machine gun on the bow and a bunch of swat types running around with swat black clothes and machine guns at the Fort Pierce inlet.
This on top of the Coast guard, local Police and Sheriffs boats two other police agencies already with security at the inlet.
Quit spending my money stupidly you congress critters.
Hello? It's FIVE years after 9/11. Most wakes dissapate much faster than that. America is still a sleeping giant.
How about a couple of machineguns? The United States can still manufacture a machinegun, can't we?
beginning to feel like the only carrot in a 10 gal pot of soup
We have 4,000 people a day crossing the border with Mexico, we have the Mexican military showing force against American Deputy Sherriff's and escorting drug dealers into America from Mexico. We have terrorists mixing in with Illegal Aliens and walking across the border and we put Blackhawk helicopters in Montana??
What is wrong with this picture?
They're watching for stray Canadian beef.
BOTH borders have to be watched and watched close. We already know that the northern border has been used for the sand fleas to come do their deeds. But I doubt if many will try to cross in winter.
Yet the southern border is crossed all the time.
Although a stray cow could, I suppose ,pose a threat, I believe the more dangerous threat to be coming from the South. And its coming every day.
Heck - All they gotta do is DRIVE across tho border on the ice of Lake of the Woods. I drive on it every other weekend !!
"I think the Congress, the administration and the American people are committed to making sure we are doing everything we can to protect America."
Congress? The Administration? I don't think so! American People, the Minutemen, yes we are commited to protecting ourselves as no one else will. I live in Texas need I say more?
Thank goodness!!!! It's about time! After all, with all the news stories about the HUGE influx of Canadians coming across the border fleeing the newly elected conservative government, we are saving native Montana residents from being forced to learn french(gasp!!)!!! (end sarcasm!!)
Thanks for posting this. As several of the comments clearly show, most people are clueless to the security risks due to a very unsecure border with Canada. Canada is replete with terrorist cells in almost every major city, especially Toronto and Montreal. The liberal gov't did virtually nothing to tighten immigration post 9/11, a point not missed by AQ.
I posted elsewhere some very real concerns that I have for today's Superbowl because of the proximity to Canada. Hopefully nothing will happen. But there's a reason why the security for it is the largest single security operation in US history!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1565487/posts
Perhaps the most dangerous person to every American (no, not Bin Laden, Al Zawahiri, etc...) is Adnan El Shukrijumah. He is thought to be in Canada and has been called the "Mohamed Atta of a nuclear 9/11." He very well may already have a (or several) dirty bombs...perhaps worse. He has been commissioned by Bin Laden to hit the US with a nuclear weapon.
http://www.fbi.gov/terrorinfo/elshukrijumah.htm
I am equally concerned about the Mexican border and can't believe how poorly Bush has (or better...hasn't)dealt with it. Simply inexcusable. But we must realize that an equal (if not greater) threat exists to the north.
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