EvanL
05-07-2004, 03:44 PM
By JEFF SALLOT
UPDATED AT 3:42 PM EDT Friday, May. 7, 2004
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OTTAWA -- The head of CSIS warned yesterday that al-Qaeda terrorists will inevitably try to attack Canadians, a prediction that was almost immediately contradicted by Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, who scrambled to reassure the public there is no known specific threat.
Ward Elcock, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said yesterday that thwarting Osama bin Laden's terrorist network is his highest priority.
"It is no longer a question of if, but rather of when and where we will be specifically targeted."
A few hours later his boss, Ms. McLellan, said no known specific terrorist threat is aimed at Canadians at this time.
"There is no necessity for Canadians to be in any way unusually alarmed about their personal safety," she said.
Trying to mute the alarming tone of Mr. Elcock's remarks, Ms. McLellan, who is also Public Safety Minister, said the CSIS director was simply being prudent.
"I'm not sure that I would say it [an al-Qaeda attack] is inevitable," she said. Because Ottawa beefed up security measures in the past two years, "I would like to think . . . that specific attacks directed at this country could be broken up and prevented before they're actually carried out," she added.
Mr. Elcock, who is retiring at the end of the month after 10 years as security chief, has said previously that al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups are in Canada, using the country for fundraising and as a base for operations against the United States.
But his warning yesterday, to the Commons justice committee, was the first time he has told MPs that Canadians can expect al-Qaeda to attack them.
Mr. Elcock, a lawyer by profession, was head of the security intelligence unit within the Privy Council before he was appointed under former prime minister Jean Chrétien to head CSIS. He is viewed in the intelligence community as usually cautious and not given to hyperbole.
Since the al-Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001, the terrorist network has increased the number of countries that it targets for attack, Mr. Elcock said, noting the Madrid train bombings this year.
Ms. McLellan, however, saw the Madrid attacks as evidence that al-Qaeda picked its targets to advance political aims. A newly elected Spanish government pulled its troops out of Iraq after the bombing.
Prime Minister Paul Martin and other ministers have been at pains to advertise Canada's decision not to join the U.S.-led military coalition that is occupying Iraq.
To date, Canadian victims have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, Mr. Elcock said, an apparent reference to Canadian casualties of the 9/11 attack on New York's World Trade Center towers.
But al-Qaeda is now putting Canada in the cross hairs, he said, adding that the group has "directly threatened Canadians twice in as many years, the last time only a month ago." He did not elaborate on the threats.
"Canada's history is not free of terrorist violence. Nor is its future. These terrorists are out there, they are active, they are represented in Canada and they are being investigated by CSIS."
CSIS has had some successes, Mr. Elcock said.
"I believe, in some cases, we have prevented terrorist attacks or the preparation for terrorist attacks." Once again, he did not elaborate.
CSIS officers often complain that they cannot publicly trumpet their victories in the battle against terrorism for fear of exposing informants and other sources of intelligence. But their failures, such as the Air-India bombing, are apparent to all.
Created in 1984 as primarily a domestic service, CSIS has stepped up its covert foreign operations in recent years, Mr. Elcock said. These include sending agents abroad and recruiting sources in foreign countries.
CSIS has resisted calls for a separate foreign intelligence service, but the Martin government is still considering the option.
Mr. Elcock said CSIS is giving greater emphasis to gathering intelligence abroad because most terrorist threats originate in other countries.
CSIS had about 50 liaison agreements with foreign countries and their police and intelligence services a decade ago, but the number has grown to about 250.
The federal government rolled out a $690-million national security plan last week on the eve of Mr. Martin's first trip to Washington as Prime Minister.
The money, to be doled out over five years, is intended to tighten security at seaports and computer data centres, make it more difficult to forge Canadian passports, allow CSIS and the RCMP to hire more officers, improve the analysis of intelligence and make it easier for agencies to operate alongside each other during a crisis.
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McClellen is such a douche.
When we do get hit, i wonder what shes gonna say?
Justt he liberals trying to cover there asses....now
UPDATED AT 3:42 PM EDT Friday, May. 7, 2004
Advertisement
OTTAWA -- The head of CSIS warned yesterday that al-Qaeda terrorists will inevitably try to attack Canadians, a prediction that was almost immediately contradicted by Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan, who scrambled to reassure the public there is no known specific threat.
Ward Elcock, director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, said yesterday that thwarting Osama bin Laden's terrorist network is his highest priority.
"It is no longer a question of if, but rather of when and where we will be specifically targeted."
A few hours later his boss, Ms. McLellan, said no known specific terrorist threat is aimed at Canadians at this time.
"There is no necessity for Canadians to be in any way unusually alarmed about their personal safety," she said.
Trying to mute the alarming tone of Mr. Elcock's remarks, Ms. McLellan, who is also Public Safety Minister, said the CSIS director was simply being prudent.
"I'm not sure that I would say it [an al-Qaeda attack] is inevitable," she said. Because Ottawa beefed up security measures in the past two years, "I would like to think . . . that specific attacks directed at this country could be broken up and prevented before they're actually carried out," she added.
Mr. Elcock, who is retiring at the end of the month after 10 years as security chief, has said previously that al-Qaeda and other terrorist groups are in Canada, using the country for fundraising and as a base for operations against the United States.
But his warning yesterday, to the Commons justice committee, was the first time he has told MPs that Canadians can expect al-Qaeda to attack them.
Mr. Elcock, a lawyer by profession, was head of the security intelligence unit within the Privy Council before he was appointed under former prime minister Jean Chrétien to head CSIS. He is viewed in the intelligence community as usually cautious and not given to hyperbole.
Since the al-Qaeda attacks on New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001, the terrorist network has increased the number of countries that it targets for attack, Mr. Elcock said, noting the Madrid train bombings this year.
Ms. McLellan, however, saw the Madrid attacks as evidence that al-Qaeda picked its targets to advance political aims. A newly elected Spanish government pulled its troops out of Iraq after the bombing.
Prime Minister Paul Martin and other ministers have been at pains to advertise Canada's decision not to join the U.S.-led military coalition that is occupying Iraq.
To date, Canadian victims have simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time, Mr. Elcock said, an apparent reference to Canadian casualties of the 9/11 attack on New York's World Trade Center towers.
But al-Qaeda is now putting Canada in the cross hairs, he said, adding that the group has "directly threatened Canadians twice in as many years, the last time only a month ago." He did not elaborate on the threats.
"Canada's history is not free of terrorist violence. Nor is its future. These terrorists are out there, they are active, they are represented in Canada and they are being investigated by CSIS."
CSIS has had some successes, Mr. Elcock said.
"I believe, in some cases, we have prevented terrorist attacks or the preparation for terrorist attacks." Once again, he did not elaborate.
CSIS officers often complain that they cannot publicly trumpet their victories in the battle against terrorism for fear of exposing informants and other sources of intelligence. But their failures, such as the Air-India bombing, are apparent to all.
Created in 1984 as primarily a domestic service, CSIS has stepped up its covert foreign operations in recent years, Mr. Elcock said. These include sending agents abroad and recruiting sources in foreign countries.
CSIS has resisted calls for a separate foreign intelligence service, but the Martin government is still considering the option.
Mr. Elcock said CSIS is giving greater emphasis to gathering intelligence abroad because most terrorist threats originate in other countries.
CSIS had about 50 liaison agreements with foreign countries and their police and intelligence services a decade ago, but the number has grown to about 250.
The federal government rolled out a $690-million national security plan last week on the eve of Mr. Martin's first trip to Washington as Prime Minister.
The money, to be doled out over five years, is intended to tighten security at seaports and computer data centres, make it more difficult to forge Canadian passports, allow CSIS and the RCMP to hire more officers, improve the analysis of intelligence and make it easier for agencies to operate alongside each other during a crisis.
---------------------------
McClellen is such a douche.
When we do get hit, i wonder what shes gonna say?
Justt he liberals trying to cover there asses....now