Posted on 06/03/2006 5:17:27 AM PDT by traumer
Police across the Greater Toronto Area launched counterterrorism raids yesterday, arresting at least eight people in a roundup expected to continue overnight and beyond.
“We anticipate more arrests, but not necessarily tonight,” an RCMP source said of the arrests, in what appeared to be the most concerted such sweep in Canada since the terrorist attacks in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service aided the RCMP and officers from Toronto, Peel and Durham in detaining the suspects, described by an undercover officer involved in the operation as “terrorists, the ones who hate the West.”
The ethnicity of the group was not clear. A well- placed police source said they are Muslims, but not Arabs, and unconnected to anti-terrorism raids that occurred simultaneously in Britain yesterday.
Quoting anonymous sources, CBC said the targets of the raid are suspected of connections with al-Qaeda. A Canadian Press report said the arrests stemmed from a plot involving explosives.
While the intended target is unclear, the plan was to detonate an explosive device in Ontario, a source who asked not to be named told Canadian Press. “That's the tool of choice for anybody who wants to cause damage.”
The suspects, whom one report said numbered 10, were being held at a Durham Regional Police station in Pickering, which late last night resembled a fortress under siege.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister's Office declined to comment last night, saying the government does not want to interfere in police operations.
The Integrated National Enforcement Team, comprising the RCMP and other police, CSIS and federal agencies such as the Canada Border Services Agency, will hold a press conference this morning to outline charges and further details.
A source in Pickering said that during the day, heavily armed tactical officers were seen near a local mosque that serves about 1,000 families in the area. But a mosque trustee said he did not know of any police raids in the vicinity. He was at the mosque for 3 p.m. prayers and nothing seemed amiss, he said.
OMG - Have the Mounties reclaimed their gonads?
But.... why CANADA ??
Voting in Democrats?
They want to create the perception that they are global.
US, spain, england, etc. Also, Canada is increasing its war on terror support and perhaps they think that an attack will bring out the granolas to impede.
Let's not forget to go to Ontario to McMaster University & arrest that whole bunch. From what I have heard it is a terrorist haven.
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