Canada arrests 17 in terror raid

BBC
Jun. 03, 2006

Police in Canada have arrested and charged 12 men who they say were planning an "al-Qaeda-inspired" bombing campaign in and around Toronto.

Five other youths have also been charged, following an investigation involving more than 400 officers.

Police seized bomb-making materials in a series of raids in Toronto, including three tonnes of ammonium nitrate.

Officials said the group "posed a real and serious threat" with "the capacity and intent to carry out these attacks".

Ammonium nitrate is a commonly-used fertiliser.

"To put it in context, the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people was completed with only one ton of ammonium nitrate," said Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) assistant commissioner Mike McDonell.

"Our investigation and arrests prevented the assembly of any bombs and the attacks from being carried out," he added.

Southern Ontario is one of the country's main economic and business centres.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper said Canada had been targeted because of its way of life and "was not sheltered from the terrorist threat".

"Today, Canada's security and intelligence measures worked. Canada's new government will pursue its efforts to ensure the national security of all Canadians," he said.

'Violent ideology'

Officials showed what they said was evidence of bomb-making materials, a computer hard drive, camouflage uniforms and what appeared to be a door with bullet holes in it.

The RCMP and other government security agencies, including intelligence and border security, have been conducting a lengthy investigation involving 400 people - the largest of its kind in Canada.

Police said those arrested on Friday were all Canadian residents "of different origins", most of them citizens - some were students, some employed, others unemployed.

The suspects appeared to have "chosen a violent ideology inspired by al-Qaeda", said Luc Portelance, assistant director of operations for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), Canada's spy agency.

More arrests are said to be possible.

The suspects are to appear in a Toronto area court later on Saturday.