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| Great White North |
| Crackdown nets terrorism suspect |
| 2004-11-02 |
| TIGHT U.S.-ELECTION security at Pearson airport has led to a suspected terrorist being nabbed and returned to Pakistan within hours of arriving in Canada, police say. Airport cops said the suspect was refused entry Sunday night at the new Terminal 1 during heightened checks for terrorists, who the U.S. fears are planning to disrupt today's elections. The unidentified man was detained and questioned for more than four hours at an airport holding centre by the RCMP, CSIS, Canada immigration and Customs agents, police said. Airport officers said documents were found in the man's luggage linking him to certain organizations. He was placed on a return flight to Pakistan early yesterday morning, officers said, adding he will be met on his return to Islamabad by anti-terrorism cops. "We believe he is involved in terrorism or in some terrorist organization," one officer said yesterday. "This guy was the subject of a lot of police attention." Immigration spokesman Rejean Cantlon, citing privacy laws, said yesterday he couldn't comment on the incident. Ron Moran, president of the Customs Excise Union, said U.S. police have told his union officials in meetings that they fear a terrorist incident to mar today's vote. "They (U.S.) are relying on us (Canada) to add another layer of security," he said, adding that the U.S. is concerned a threat against them may be staged from Canada. Michel Proulx, of the Canada Border Services Agency, said officers are inspecting vehicles and motorists leaving and entering the country. "We have increased our vigilance," Proulx said. "We co-operate closely with the U.S. on border issues." |
| Posted by:Fred |