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| Syrian tip stops Al-Qaeda attack on U.S. Embassy in Ottawa | ||
| 2003-07-25 | ||
| (Hat tip to LGF) A network of al-Qaeda agents was rounded up before it could carry out a plot to attack the American Embassy in Ottawa, U.S. intelligence sources say. The Central Intelligence Agency was alerted to the al-Qaeda conspiracy by Syria’s intelligence service, which has been co-operating with Washington since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, sources say. that would be ’periodically’ cooperating Flynt Leverett, a former CIA analyst who until recently served at the U.S. National Security Council, confirmed yesterday that a suspected plot against an American target in Ottawa was averted, but would not provide further details. However, sources told CanWest News Service that al-Qaeda planned to attack the U.S. Embassy, aiming at least to kill the marine guards who form the frontline of defence at the heavily guarded embassy in the capital’s downtown core. RCMP Insp. André Guertin said the force has no knowledge of any terrorist plot to assault the embassy. Sources would not give a time frame for the attack nor say whether it involved a bomb, but credited Syrian intelligence for alerting the CIA which passed on the information to Canadian authorities. "We were able basically to round up a network that was going to carry out the plot," one high-level source said. The revelation about an al-Qaeda plot at an American target in Ottawa was first reported by investigative journalist Seymour Hersh in this week’s New Yorker. After arrest the A-Q operatives were given a stern "talking to" and offered dual citizenship as a rehabilitation effort
Ahmad Arnous, the Syrian ambassador to Canada, said yesterday he did not have personal knowledge of the al-Qaeda intrigue, but confirmed Syrian intelligence has provided useful information to the CIA and CSIS. Mr. Arnous said Syria even shared classified information with the CIA and CSIS on Maher Arar, a Syrian-born Canadian citizen who U.S. authorities say has ties to al-Qaeda. Mr. Arar, a 32-year old Ottawa engineer who was the target of a joint Canada-U.S. investigation, is now in a Syrian prison because of alleged links to terrorism. Sources say Mr. Arar was tracked when he left Canada last year for a vacation to Tunisia. On his return home, he was arrested Sept. 26 by U.S. immigration authorities while changing flights at New York’s Kennedy Airport and deported to Syria on Oct. 8 even though he was carrying a Canadian passport. "There is some kind of co-operation between all countries friendly with Syria, including Canada because even on Mr. Arar there was a communication between the security people in Canada and Syrian anti-terrorism people," Mr. Arnous said. Mr. Arar was first sent to Jordan for 10 days where the CIA has a special interrogation site for al-Qaeda agents. In April, U.S. Ambassador to Canada Paul Cellucci, told a private audience that Mr. Arar was under surveillance long before his arrest and deportation to Damascus. "Mr. Arar is very well known to Canadian law enforcement. They understand our handling of the case. They wouldn’t be happy to see him come back to Canada," Mr. Cellucci said. Last month, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien wrote to Mr. Arar’s wife, Monia Mazigh, promising to fight for the return of her husband to Canada, although Foreign Affairs acknowledges they have not been able to see Mr. Arar since last April. But a U.S. source said the Canadian government "knows much more about Arar than they are telling Canadians," saying the RCMP quietly asked the U.S. government to arrest Mr. Arar in New York City and deport him. "Arar had been monitored for a long time. Canadian authorities knew about him long in advance before his arrest. He had been in Afghanistan with al-Qaeda," a source said. Mr. Arar’s wife denies her husband was ever in Afghanistan and insists he is not linked to al-Qaeda or any other terrorist group.
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| Posted by:Frank G |
| #1 Last month, Prime Minister Jean Chrétien wrote to Mr. Arar’s wife, Monia Mazigh, promising to fight for the return of her husband to Canada, although Foreign Affairs acknowledges they have not been able to see Mr. Arar since last April. Once again, our ally |
| Posted by: Alaska Paul 2003-7-25 8:54:07 PM |