Terrorists Urged to Reach U.S. Targets 'Through Canada'
National Post:
Trans-Alaska pipeline named in online manual
"Jihad groups" in Canada are being urged to cross the border to carry out terrorist attacks against the United States, a Washington research group says.
A 12-page document recently posted on an al-Qaeda-affiliated Internet forum says small groups of terrorists with explosives expertise should enter the United States from Canada.
The scenario is reminiscent of the 1999 attempt by extremists in Montreal to bomb Los Angeles airport — except this time the targets are oil and gas fields, refineries and pipelines.
The port of Valdez and the Trans-Alaska pipeline are specifically named as targets: "Most of this pipeline is laying on the surface … and it passes for the most part near the highway."
The attacks should be mounted by "groups who can reach American terrorist regime, either directly or through other neighbouring countries, like Canada or Mexico," it says.
"This group should be divided into smaller groups of 4-5 individuals, who have the knowledge and skills need[ed] for explosives."
Complete with links to maps, the online manual calls itself a response to statements by al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri calling for more terrorist attacks.
It was posted recently on an Internet forum commonly used by al-Qaeda supporters, says the SITE Institute, a U.S. research group that monitors terrorist Web sites.
The scenario in which terrorists based in Canada cross into the United States has haunted both governments since al-Qaeda-trained Montreal resident Ahmed Ressam was caught at the border while on his way to blow up Los Angeles airport.
Last year, the FBI issued a bulletin warning that the Canadian border "may still provide opportunities for operatives to penetrate U.S. national security, particularly if Western passports are used."
The agency is still looking for several Canadian al-Qaeda members — notably Abderaouf Jdey of Montreal and Amer El Maati of Toronto — whom it calls a "clear and present danger to America" because they allegedly want to carry out terrorist attacks in the United States.
One of the three stated aims of Canada's national security policy is "ensuring Canada is not a base for threats to our allies" but Ottawa is sensitive to U.S. concerns about the border.
Canadian ambassador Frank McKenna demanded an apology last month when Montana Senator Conrad Burns said the 9/11 hijackers had entered the United States from Canada.
The Senator apologized for the mistake but said "this does not and should not overshadow the problems that clearly exist on the border between the United States and Canada … we still have much work ahead of us.
Pipelines are considered possible terrorist targets due to the economic disruption an attack could cause but also because of the perception that Western policies in the Middle East are driven by oil interests.
"They spilled our brothers' blood and they stole our oil resources," says the document. "This is our time to teach them a lesson in how to deal with Muslims."
Trans-Alaska pipeline named in online manual
"Jihad groups" in Canada are being urged to cross the border to carry out terrorist attacks against the United States, a Washington research group says.
A 12-page document recently posted on an al-Qaeda-affiliated Internet forum says small groups of terrorists with explosives expertise should enter the United States from Canada.
The scenario is reminiscent of the 1999 attempt by extremists in Montreal to bomb Los Angeles airport — except this time the targets are oil and gas fields, refineries and pipelines.
The port of Valdez and the Trans-Alaska pipeline are specifically named as targets: "Most of this pipeline is laying on the surface … and it passes for the most part near the highway."
The attacks should be mounted by "groups who can reach American terrorist regime, either directly or through other neighbouring countries, like Canada or Mexico," it says.
"This group should be divided into smaller groups of 4-5 individuals, who have the knowledge and skills need[ed] for explosives."
Complete with links to maps, the online manual calls itself a response to statements by al-Qaeda leaders Osama bin Laden and Ayman Al Zawahiri calling for more terrorist attacks.
It was posted recently on an Internet forum commonly used by al-Qaeda supporters, says the SITE Institute, a U.S. research group that monitors terrorist Web sites.
The scenario in which terrorists based in Canada cross into the United States has haunted both governments since al-Qaeda-trained Montreal resident Ahmed Ressam was caught at the border while on his way to blow up Los Angeles airport.
Last year, the FBI issued a bulletin warning that the Canadian border "may still provide opportunities for operatives to penetrate U.S. national security, particularly if Western passports are used."
The agency is still looking for several Canadian al-Qaeda members — notably Abderaouf Jdey of Montreal and Amer El Maati of Toronto — whom it calls a "clear and present danger to America" because they allegedly want to carry out terrorist attacks in the United States.
One of the three stated aims of Canada's national security policy is "ensuring Canada is not a base for threats to our allies" but Ottawa is sensitive to U.S. concerns about the border.
Canadian ambassador Frank McKenna demanded an apology last month when Montana Senator Conrad Burns said the 9/11 hijackers had entered the United States from Canada.
The Senator apologized for the mistake but said "this does not and should not overshadow the problems that clearly exist on the border between the United States and Canada … we still have much work ahead of us.
Pipelines are considered possible terrorist targets due to the economic disruption an attack could cause but also because of the perception that Western policies in the Middle East are driven by oil interests.
"They spilled our brothers' blood and they stole our oil resources," says the document. "This is our time to teach them a lesson in how to deal with Muslims."
posted by Marko at 1/02/2006 05:59:00 PM
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