A police officer loads terrorism suspect Shareef Abdelhaleem, 30, of Mississauga, into a holding van at the Durham Regional Police Station on Saturday. (Nathan Denette/CP)
17 terror suspects arrested in sweeping raids across southern Ontario late Friday
“Police and intelligence officials made the arrests late Friday night and early Saturday morning after the group accepted delivery of three tons of ammonium nitrate, a common fertilizer than can be explosive if combined with fuel oil.”
As news of this strike against terrorist plotters leaked out over the weekend, my reaction was ‘well, it is feasible. After all, if you go stirring up the wasps nest they are bound to bite back.’
But Canadians are a laid-back bunch and haven’t really bought it. So here I was, quietly cautioning a wait and see, in the face of vehement skepticism, (from this laid-back bunch).
My resolve was weakened a bit by the Australian and British media reports on the event. These were along the lines of: How cute, the Canadians think they have rounded up a bunch of evil terrorists.
Then the Canadian media reaction really throws things into a spin. There are, of course, those ready to claim this as justification for having troops in Afghanistan, to accept without question, as the body bags arrive home, that somehow playing soldiers over there will protect us here.
Well the dumbest Canuck can see that before Canada engaged in Bush’s adventure there was no threat here, but that’s another story.
US praises Canada for terror bust Well that is a poison chalice, and only serves to remind people that Harper is probably more interested in serving the US than Canada. That is the reaction and a fair one too, if you are not an American.
Police planted evidence: Terrorists’ arrest in Toronto. Okay a story from Pakistan, but echoing some of the voices here.
As much as I despise the right wing National Post, I’m inclined to agree with the headline at least: It was only a matter of time
There is a strong ‘live and let live’ feeling among Canadians. Many enjoy a couple of beers and the odd bit of biffo, but there is a strong tendency to do what you have to do, and mind your own business.
Even more than my multi-cultural home of Australia, Canada has an easy acceptance of the racial mix, as long as everyone plays the game and don’t make waves. Trouble makers are never easily accepted.
In this case they want proof of who the real trouble makers are. So while I’m prepared to accept the potential for this kind of thing to visit peaceful Canada, my neighbours aren’t so sure. In fact, they don’t seem too sure of their southern neighbours either.
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