[Excerpt]
"A lot" of Canadians trained at al-Qaeda camps in Afghanistan and some still live freely in Canada, Abdurahman Khadr testified at a court hearing at which he revealed chilling new details about Canadian terror suspects and his father's ties to Osama bin Laden's training camps.
Mr. Khadr, a 21-year-old Toronto man who underwent weapons and explosives training at four camps in Afghanistan, said in testimony made public yesterday that he had given CIA agents the names of several Canadians who trained at camps such as Khalden.
"I know a lot of people that are living in the West and are living in Canada, and that live their everyday life now and are not under arrest or anything, that have been to Khalden," Mr. Khadr testified at a July 13 hearing in Montreal.
"I had a lot of friends that were Canadians that came to Afghanistan and went to training," Mr. Khadr said. "Some of them are dead now and some of them are back in Canada and some of them are under arrest."
His contention that graduates of the Afghan camps are living normal lives in Canada comes as U.S. officials are concerned that al-Qaeda might try to use Canada as a staging ground for a terrorist strike some time before November's presidential election.
Mr. Khadr testified the training camps did not instruct recruits to "go after America," but provided basic weapons training for Muslims, whom he said are obliged to prepare to defend Islamic countries from attack. But it is now widely known the camps were run by al-Qaeda and taught recruits how to attack Western targets.
By SCOTT SUTHERLAND
VICTORIA (CP) - The U.S.-Canada boundary -often called the world's longest undefended border -may no longer be so undefended.
The U.S. is stepping up surveillance along the border, in the air and on the water, starting with a high-tech unit than begins operations in Bellingham, just across the border from the Vancouver area. "It is the first of five such border units that will be established from Bellingham over to Plattsburg, New York," said Gary Bracken, communications director for the Office of Air and Marine Operations.
The New York unit will be set up later this year and units in Montana, North Dakota and Michigan will be established in coming years.
The move is part of the U.S. response to the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
But Braken doubted whether establishing a presence along the boundary with Canada would jeopardize the long-standing boast about the undefended border.
"I don't really see this will change that," he said, adding that it only strengthens the relationship with Canadian authorities and counterparts in other agencies of the United States government.
"We're just bringing air and marine capabilities to the border that have proven to be very successful along our southern border and in the Caribbean basin. These capabilities are not aimed at changing the relationship with the Canadian government or its people."
Solicitor General Rich Coleman could not be reached for comment about how the beefed-up security might impact British Columbia.
Air and Marine Operations, a branch of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, operates 10 similar bases along the U.S.-Mexico border and has provided airspace security for events throughout the U.S., including Super Bowls 2003 and 2004 and the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
The new Bellingham unit will eventually be staffed by 69 U.S. federal law enforcement officers with jurisdiction across all 50 states.
It will operate a fixed-wing surveillance plane, a medium-lift helicopter, a so-called light-enforcement helicopter and at least one high-speed enforcement boat.
This is in addition to the security provided by the FBI, Secret Service, the U.S. coast guard and border patrol and state and local agencies.
Braken acknowledged that thwarting the smuggling of marijuana -so-called "B.C. bud" -is a prime consideration for establishing the first unit in the Pacific Northwest.
But he said there are also other fears and possible threats.
"Along the (Canadian) border we are also faced with the smuggling of migrants, weapons, currency in both directions, as well as the possibility of terrorists or weapons of mass destruction crossing the border using traditional smuggling routes."
The Americans say there has been legitimate cause for concern, pointing to the case of Ahmed Ressam.
Ressam was arrested in Port Angeles, Wash. driving off a ferry from Victoria, B.C. in 1999 in a car packed with explosives.
Ressam, who was eventually linked to al-Qaida, was plotting to bomb the Los Angeles airport.
http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2004/08/18/589675-cp.html