Posted on 10/29/2003 8:17:26 AM PST by albertabound
Que. separatists vow to fight by 'any means'
CTV.ca News Staff
The member of a Quebec separatist group said he hopes anglophones in Montreal won't stop Quebecers from independence. But they are willing to fight "by any means necessary" if they do.
Pierre-Luc Begin, the vice president of the Mouvement de libération nationale du Québec (MLNQ), said anglophones in Montreal and the rest of Canada must understand that francophone Quebecers want territorial integrity.
"We still hope that the democratic way will be enough," Begin told CTV's Canada AM. "But if not, we will fight by any means necessary to achieve our independence."
When asked by CTV's Marci Ien what he meant by "any means necessary", Begin did not clarify.
His comments come one day after seven people were arrested following the discovery of explosive devices, and anti-English graffiti in communities that want to break away for Montreal.
The arrests were made after police discovered the former town hall for Baie d'Urfe, a mainly English-speaking community, had been defaced with anti-Canadian and separatist slogans.
Police said they caught the men as they were trying to cut down a federalist symbol at the townhall with a chainsaw. Investigators said they later found several homemade pipe bombs in a suspect's car.
The graffiti included the words Canadians Go Home, Quebec Libre (A Free Quebec) and Fusion Montreal.
The letters FLQ, which stands for Front de liberation du Quebec, were also spray-painted onto the building. The separatist terrorist organization was responsible for the murder of provincial cabinet minister Pierre Laporte back in October 1970.
The accused, who range in age from 19 to 48, pleaded not guilty to charges of mischief, conspiracy and possession of explosive devices on Tuesday.
Quebec Premier Jean Charest denounced the incident and said it did not reflect how the majority of Quebecers felt.
"This kind of behaviour is very, very isolated in Quebec society. These people have a certain point of view that isn't supported by the vast majority of Quebec citizens," Charest said.
He rejected the idea that the vandalism had anything to do a bill which allows for municipal demergers, adding the incident did nothing to advance the debate about Quebec's future.
"They are doing no service to themselves or to Quebec society," Charest said of the incident.
The townhall now serves as the administrative centre for the Montreal borough, which is chaired by Anne Myles. Separatist protesters picketed her first council meeting Monday for her inability to speak French fluently.
Lawyers for the seven accused had little to say outside court, except that their clients are not dangerous. Police said they know very little about the group, but they are linked to convicted FLQ terrorist Raymond Villeneuve.
The 54-year-old Villeneuve is now the leader of the MLNQ.
In an interview with CFCF news, Villeneuve compared the plight of Quebec nationalists to that of the Palestinians and warned the violence could soon escalate.
"There is no limit. The Algerians, the Palestinians, they kill themselves because they are occupied," Villeneuve said.
Six of the seven return to court Wednesday for bail hearings, while the seventh will be in court on Thursday.
With reports from CTV's Jed Kahane and Rob Lurie
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Actually, if
they just killed themselves, maybe
civilized people
might care a little
(like when Buddhists torch themselves).
But when you blow up
innocent people,
it's not a political
statement, it's murder.
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