Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hell's Angels 'offended' to be linked to terrorism
The National Post ^ | January 16, 2002 | Adrian Humphreys

Posted on 01/16/2003 7:29:00 AM PST by Loyalist

Hells Angels 'offended' to be linked to terrorism Authorities seized 'colours' at airport, then dropped case

Adrian Humphreys National Post

Thursday, January 16, 2003

The secretive airport seizure from a member of the Hells Angels that led prosecutors to consider charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act was simply the biker's jacket with the gang's insignia stitched to the back, the National Post has learned.

The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club conducted an "internal investigation" after reports that an item seized from a Quebec member at Montreal's Dorval airport raised the spectre of the world's most notorious motorcycle gang being linked to terrorist activities.

"I was deeply offended by that suggestion," said a member of the Hells Angels, who was authorized by the organization to present its side of the incident to the Post.

"I am vehemently opposed to this terrorism stuff, as are all Hells Angels, and to be accused of it is very offensive to us," the member said on condition his name not be published.

He said someone in the Department of Justice appears to have been looking for a new way to attack the gang.

The public suggestion of a terrorist angle to the seizure of an item, which was not named by authorities, led to speculation that weapons, explosives or travel documents might be involved.

The Hells Angel spokesman said members wanted to know if anyone linked to the organization was engaged in terrorist activities and discovered the item seized on Dec. 2, 2002, was, in fact, the gang's insignia, called "colours."

Officials remain tight-lipped about their investigation, but sources close to the case confirmed the seizure was the jacket and other items of clothing that featured the Hells Angels logo.

RCMP Corporal Sylvain Jolicour, a spokesman for the Dorval Airport Federal Investigations Section, confirmed the investigation has concluded without charges.

The seizure came after several members of the Hells Angels returned to Canada on Dec. 2, 2002, from a meeting in Europe. Some Ontario members flew into Toronto's Pearson International Airport and three members from Quebec flew into Dorval, according to sources.

All members carried their colours in their luggage.

Two of the three members at Dorval passed through Canada Customs without incident. The third, Ghyslain Vallerand, of the Hells Angels' Sherbrooke Chapter, carried with him $2,600 in cash and was questioned. The cash was not seized, but his jacket and several T-shirts, all bearing the logo of the Hells Angels, were withheld.

"They were trying to make it a test case or a test seizure, to see if it was possible to seize clothing with the trademark of the Hells Angels on it," said Michel Dussault, the lawyer for Mr. Vallerand.

"They said the clothes were coming from crime, but they didn't have evidence the clothing was part of any infraction. There was no link in any way [to terrorism]," he said.

Mr. Vallerand is considering a lawsuit against the government over the incident, Mr. Dussault said.

The idea of applying the wide-ranging powers of the Anti-Terrorism Act, passed in response to the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, to criminal organizations appealed to many police officers.

It prompted talk of having the Hells Angels placed on the list of Terrorist Entities, which would make prosecuting and seizing the assets of members much easier.

Anti-gang legislation requires prosecutors to prove every time a charge is laid that an organization is a criminal group.

ahumphreys@nationalpost.com

© Copyright 2003 National Post


TOPICS: Canada; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News
KEYWORDS: airportsecurity; bikergangs; billofrights; canada; hellsangels; sikhtemplefire; terrorism

1 posted on 01/16/2003 7:29:00 AM PST by Loyalist
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: All
CAN I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION

PLEASE SUPPORT FREE REPUBLIC

Donate Here By Secure Server

Or mail checks to
FreeRepublic , LLC
PO BOX 9771
FRESNO, CA 93794
or you can use

PayPal at Jimrob@psnw.com


STOP BY A BUMP THE FUNDRAISER THREAD

2 posted on 01/16/2003 7:29:51 AM PST by Support Free Republic (Your support keeps Free Republic going strong!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist
Exactly how does confiscating clothing protect passengers?
3 posted on 01/16/2003 7:31:24 AM PST by gitmo ("The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome is certain." GWB)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gitmo
Exactly how does confiscating clothing protect passengers?

Very good question

4 posted on 01/16/2003 7:32:51 AM PST by Fiddlstix (Tag Line Service Center: FREE Tag Line with Every Monthly Donation to FR. Get Yours. Inquire Within)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist
Give a person with an axe to grind a little power; and this is what happens. There needs to be some checks and balances, so stupid dweebs like this 'airport security professional' are rewarded for good decisions, and held responsible for stupid ones.
5 posted on 01/16/2003 7:34:14 AM PST by Hodar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Fiddlstix
Im pretty sure there is more to this story than we are hearing...
6 posted on 01/16/2003 7:34:57 AM PST by cardinal4
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Hodar
Give a person with an axe to grind a little power; and this is what happens.

I am sorry, but this was to be expected. The anti-terrorism excuse to violate people's rights will not stop here. Once you get law enforcement in the habit of ignoring due process, they will decide they like it and do it more and more. Sure, it is easier than actually having to make cases against individuals with actual evidence, but do we want that? We already have a huge error rate in criminal justice, even when we do have trials. What do you think the error rate will be if no trials (or trials without evidence) are needed?

7 posted on 01/16/2003 7:48:59 AM PST by Mike4Freedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist
SEC. 205. MULTILATERAL CO-OPERATION AGAINST TERRORISTS. (A) with regard to individual aliens, at any time on a case by case basis for the purpose of preventing, investigating or punishing, acts that would constitute a crime in the United States, including, but not limited to, terrorism or trafficking in controlled substances, persons or illicit weapons; Reaching here but...my only reasoning on the subject from what little has been presented overtly.
8 posted on 01/16/2003 7:53:45 AM PST by fight_truth_decay (this space for rent)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fight_truth_decay
Could it be that the jacket of the "gentleman" in question had residue of a controlled substance on it that was picked up by drug sniffing dogs or electronic sniffers? The Hell's Angels have a long history of funding their operations through drug manufacture and distribution.

Possibly the jacket was used to hide drugs smuggled over to Europe and the money they had was an ernest payment for a larger amount paid to a Swiss bank account.

The Hell's Angels should have been RICOed long ago.
9 posted on 01/16/2003 8:22:48 AM PST by anymouse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist

We'll never get the CREDIT, but we'll always get the BLAME."
- Sonny Barger

http://sonnybarger.com/index3.html


10 posted on 01/16/2003 8:28:42 AM PST by ppaul
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist
So, we got a lot of Arab muslims in the Hells Angels??? What next, the Rotary Club??? Hey, those Menonites dress pretty goofy to some, they're probably all terrorists too...

I wouldn't be surprised if you found more people in Congress sympathetic to the terrorists than in the Hells Angels...
11 posted on 01/16/2003 8:32:22 AM PST by Iscool (it can be pretty painful, even if you're the winner)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: gitmo
Just as sidearms regularly creep out of the house, steal the car and go on wild shooting sprees, this mans colors were contemplating terrorism.
12 posted on 01/16/2003 8:33:26 AM PST by gnarledmaw
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: Iscool
I wouldn't be surprised if you found more people in Congress sympathetic to the terrorists than in the Hells Angels...

You said it!

13 posted on 01/16/2003 8:34:30 AM PST by ppaul
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist
I would prefer to have the Hell's Angels on my side than the DNC
14 posted on 01/16/2003 9:00:26 AM PST by sticker
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist
..the Hell's Angels playing the roles of Victims!!
15 posted on 01/16/2003 9:51:42 AM PST by fight_truth_decay (attempts not to laugh!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Iscool
I wouldn't be surprised if you found more people in Congress sympathetic to the terrorists than in the Hells Angels...

Well, there's Sen. Patty Murray ... for one.

16 posted on 01/16/2003 10:08:32 AM PST by TigersEye (Not one scazzottata - but a pestaggio to blood.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: Loyalist
The idea of applying the wide-ranging powers of the Anti-Terrorism Act, passed in response to the Sept. 11 attacks on the United States, to criminal organizations appealed to many police officers.

I bet it did. How long will it be before they use those wide-ranging powers to go looking for "illegal" guns? With their "tip list" in hand the Maryland police, in concert with the BATF, would probably like to expand their abilities as well.

17 posted on 01/16/2003 10:17:05 AM PST by TigersEye (Not one scazzottata - but a pestaggio to blood.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: *BillOfRights
"The secretive airport seizure from a member of the Hells Angels that led prosecutors to consider charges under the Anti-Terrorism Act was simply the biker's jacket with the gang's insignia stitched to the back,..."
18 posted on 01/16/2003 10:20:23 AM PST by TigersEye (Not one scazzottata - but a pestaggio to blood.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: cardinal4
"Im pretty sure there is more to this story than we are hearing..."

I doubt it. I have personally seen bikers singled out and searched at Canadian airports, even by uniformed police officers nowhere near security, simply because they were bikers. They were sitting in the bar beside the terminal minding their own business when they were taken away to be checked for outstanding warrants, and this was in a domestic terminal. They were wearing insignia at the time.

LEOs in Canada have declared war on biker gangs. Smart bikers will ship their colours to their destination and not take them along on the flight if they want to avoid hassles. Because of their criminal activities they are covered by the wording of the legislation as terrorist organizations.

19 posted on 01/16/2003 1:34:16 PM PST by badfreeper (My hog is a mountain bike)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: badfreeper
LEO organizations are so stupid that other than wearing full colors, dirty jeans, beard, gut...they couldn't catch anyone. Canada, the entry of choice to N. America. Shave, clean cloths, belong to a terrorist organization, publicly for years if not decades, and you're in like Flint. No different in the US. I knew a guy, life long drug dealer. Drove a station wagon, wore a tweed sport coat, button down, chino's, baby chair in backseat, family pictures in visor, salesman stuff in back. Millionaire many time over. When he would get bored, he collect rent in Bed Sty for kicks. Never got pinched except for one DUI coming back from a cocktail party in Fairfield, CN.
20 posted on 01/16/2003 2:02:41 PM PST by Leisler
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson