Tel-Chai Nation

There is a considerable terrorist threat looming in Canada, and today, there's been news of arrests made of some members. The Counterrorism Blog's got a rundown of the news, and Pajamas Media and Michelle Malkin have more updates.

The Toronto Star (via Stephen Taylor) reports that the gang arrested includes quite a few teenagers:

A group of Canadian teenagers and young men in their 20s, accused by police of being members of a suspected homegrown terrorist cell, will appear in court this morning to face accusations that they plotted to attack Canadian targets, the Toronto Star has learned.

Some members of the group allegedly attended a "training camp" north of the city where they made a video imitating military warfare, and the suspects allegedly had acquired weapons and listed targets in Ontario, sources told the Star.

Led by the RCMP's anti-terrorism task force, more than 400 police officers from across Ontario made the series of arrests last night and early this morning, taking as many as a dozen suspects into custody at a heavily guarded Pickering police station. Sources said there was a concern that some of the group's members had acquired explosives.

The arrested men were driven one by one into the Ajax Pickering community police station at Brock and Kingston Rds. and were taken into the underground garage for processing. Unmarked police cars lined up outside the door, with one car being allowed in approximately every 15 minutes.

[...]

Sources told the Star that the group had been watched by Canada's spy service since 2004 and a criminal investigation by the RCMP began last year.

It's not known specifically why police acted last night and none of the allegations have been proven in court.

The group is being charged under the new anti-terrorism legislation introduced into the criminal code in December 2001, after the 9/11 attacks. It's only the second time the terrorism laws have been used in Canada.

Mohammad Momin Khawaja, an Ottawa-area software operator, was the first person arrested on terrorism charges and will stand trial in January for his alleged connection to a British group.

Sources close to last night's investigation are calling the suspects arrested yesterday a "homegrown" group, meaning they are Canadian citizens or long-time residents, raised and allegedly radicalized without leaving the country. It's a phenomenon Canadian officials have been warning about for the past few years.

The following however, may veer into apologia, be warned in advance:

Although the RCMP would not talk about the arrests last night, community sources confirmed the names of three of the men now behind bars.

Fahim Ahmad, a 22-year-old Scarborough father, was arrested late yesterday. He allegedly rented a car last summer for two men who were later caught bringing weapons across the border into Canada.

Although the RCMP would not talk about the arrests last night, community sources confirmed the names of three of the men now behind bars.

Fahim Ahmad, a 22-year-old Scarborough father, was arrested late yesterday. He allegedly rented a car last summer for two men who were later caught bringing weapons across the border into Canada.

The arrests of two other men from Mississauga — brothers-in-law Ahmad Ghany and Zakaria Amara — shocked neighbours and family who said they couldn't believe the allegations.

"I think they have it wrong. Those guys have nothing to do with (terrorism)," said Scarborough Imam Aly Hindy.

Hindy has been a high profile critic of the RCMP and Canadian Security Intelligence Service, accusing the federal agency of targeting Muslims who criticize the foreign policies of Western governments.

He believes this is what led to the arrests yesterday.

"Because they are young people, and they are Muslims, they are saying it's terrorism," he said in an interview last night.

Ahmad had only moved into the Scarborough area, near Sheppard Ave. and Markham Rd., a few weeks ago.

"This is a good community and we're very shocked by the news. We leave our whole family here for the whole day, including our small children, and come back to this," said local resident Qadeer Mohammed.

"This very shocking, and the whole community will be affected."

Yes, it will: because now, noone will trust you, for good reasons. Stop whining and pleading poverty, bozo.

CTV fully confirms that the gang had explosive materials with them:

Police seized chemicals used to make explosives and weapons.

"That's the tool of choice for anybody who wants to cause damage," a source who asked not to be named told The Canadian Press.

The suspects are either second-generation Canadians or recently immigrated to Canada with their families.

The National Post says that this is part of the "homegrown" trend that's been striking Europe. I agree. And, here's the RCMP press release, which says that the gang:

...took steps to acquire three tonnes of ammonium nitrate and other components necessary to create explosive devices," said Assistant Commissioner Mike McDonell. "To put this in context, the 1995 bombing of the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City that killed 168 people took one tonne of ammonium nitrate."

Homegrown terrorism is a very serious issue, and a leading reason why steps may have to be taken to revoke citizenship from Islamofascists who advocate and promote the practice, whether openly or in behind the scenes.

Also available at 7 Deadly Sins, Adam's Blog, Basil's Blog, Bloggin' Out Loud, The Liberal Wrong-Wing, Passionate America, Robinik.Net, TMH's Bacon Bits. Others on the subject include Instapundit, The Galvin Opinion, Darleen Click, Ace of Spades, Small Dead Animals, Assorted Babble, Stop the ACLU, Fullosseous Flap, Flopping Aces, bRight & Early, The Cranky Insomniac, America's North Shore Journal, Wizbang, Martin's Musings, The Sandbox, The Jawa Report, Hot Air, Outside the Beltway, Confederate Yankee, Blue Crab Boulevard, The Strata-Sphere.

Labels: Canada, islam, terrorism