Canada At War

This happened in Canada way back in June. I'm refreshing everyone's memory. Many people dismiss terrorists as those who've "lost their humanity." I don't buy it. There has to be something deeper than that. Here are a group of Muslims living in the best damn country on planet Earth (imho), with all the best that it has to offer - education, health care, great economy, low crime rate, social security, the freedom to practise your religion unfettered - a country that gave them everything they could possibly dream of, more than any Islamic country could ever give them. Canada. A country that one of my visitors once called "Heaven on Earth." And how did these guys repay Canada?

They planned to murder as many people as possible (and behead our Prime Minister).

In the largest operation ever carried out under Canada's Anti-terrorism Act, more than 400 police officers conducted a series of raids in southern Ontario on June 2-3, 2006, and arrested 17 suspects. An 18th suspect was arrested in August. Search warrants were executed on homes in Mississauga, Toronto and Pickering. Most of the suspects were taken under heavy guard to be processed at a police station in Pickering, east of Toronto. Police officers carrying automatic weapons ringed the building. Snipers were perched on nearby rooftops. It was a show of force rarely seen on Canadian soil.

The men and youths were accused of knowingly participating in a terrorist group and either receiving or providing terrorist training. Police allege the suspects were inspired by al-Qaeda and planned to make bombs to attack targets in Ontario. " +
+
(photo) Canadian bravery: Mubin Shaikh, paid police informant who helped infiltrate a group of 18 Islamic potential terrorists in Canada. Watch a video of Shaikh speaking of his experience. Watch part 2 of the video.

ALLEGED TARGETS:
Targets mentioned in court documents: » Parliament Buildings, Ottawa » CBC Broadcasting Centre, Toronto » CSIS offices, Toronto » Unspecified military installation, Toronto » Toronto Stock Exchange » CN Tower, Toronto » Prime Minister Stephen Harper (terrorists planned to behead our PM)


Items seized in police raids, including flashlights and walkie-talkies, are shown during a press conference in Toronto. The suspects were 'inspired by al-Qaeda,' said a CSIS official.(Aaron Harris/Canadian Press) All of the suspects involved were Canadian Muslims from the Toronto area, most of them of South Asian origin and two from Somalia. That prompted comparisons with the made-in-Britain London bombings of last July.

The CBC program The Fifth Estate reports that a second man became a mole for Canadian authorities because he wanted to help prevent a civilian calamity. "He really felt, as a loyal Muslim Canadian, (that) he owed Canada something," a close friend of the man told the CBC. "It's not surprising to see that he did that for the cause of Canada." The engineer, who is from a wealthy Toronto family of Egyptian background, is now in a witness protection program, the CBC reported. He can't be named out of concern for the safety of his immediate family.

Police allege that the group tried to acquire three tonnes of ammonium nitrate — a common fertilizer used to devastating effect in the Oklahoma City bombing — to blow up the Toronto Stock Exchange and an office of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, among other targets. The agricultural engineer, who is in his 20s, provided evidence to authorities that the conspirators had material they thought could be used to make bombs, the CBC reported. "His significance is that he crystallized the investigation," said journalist Linden MacIntyre, who prepared the story for The Fifth Estate.

"In that sense, he is probably of greater significance than the first mole."

+ Egyptian-Canadian engineer helped foil terror plot: CBC ++++ He embraced Islam, then terrorism ++++ Alleged terror group participants came from all walks of life ++++ The Economist: The plan to behead the prime minister ++++ Homegrown extremism

"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."
-- Prime Minister Stephen Harper

"This shows that the Canadians are on the job. That's what it really shows."
-- U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

"It had been happening here in Canada to the extent that hate was being spouted through places of worship and by people who make it their day job to incite young people in this hatred. Towards what they perceive to be the imperial powers, the western occupation of parts of the world." -- Raheel Raza, author of Their Jihad, Not My Jihad

"I think it's a disproportionate number of al-Qaeda in Canada because of their very liberal immigration laws, because of how political asylum is granted so easily."
-- New York Republican Peter King, chairman of the House of Representatives homeland security committee. (more quotes)



Canadian Hero: Sitting in the Crew Commanders hatch, a Canadian soldier awaits orders before moving out on route to Kandahar Air Field (KAF). During Operation MEDUSA, resupply convoys were used extensively for transporting food, water and other supplies to areas in and around Patrol Base Wilson. Op MEDUSA was conducted with an aim to clear insurgent forces from the Panjwaii District. TF 3-06 BG was the main manoeuvre unit in Op MEDUSA, which also had significant participation from US, Dutch and UK air and ground forces, as well as the Afghan National Army and the Afghan National Police. (Canadian Dept. Of Defense)



Canadian Bravery: The crew of 29A from left to right in the front row Master Corporal Randy Joy the Company Pronto, Corporal Pedro McKelvey the drive of 29A, Captain Max Michaud-Shields the Company second in command and on the back row Corporal Jonathan Caballero the gunner. Task Force Afghanistan is part of Canada’s contribution to the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. This mission is about Canadians and their international partners helping Afghans rebuild their lives, their families, their communities and their nation. (Canadian Dept. Of Defense)



Zhary District Center, Afghanistan: Each section in turn of Bravo Company of the Task Force 3-06 Battle Group (TF 3-06 BG) are getting their rations and water for the next 48 hours during a re-supply run at Patrol Base Wilson (PBW). The PBW is used as a staging area during OP MEDUSA. (Canadian Dept. Of Defense)