'Three Times More Devastating Than Oklahoma City'

Toronto terror sweep gets 10 Al-Qaeda

Published on June 3, 2006 By singrdave In War on Terror

Some good news from the northern front of the War on Terror:

Canadians were about to experience their own 9/11, or more appropriately their own Oklahoma City; if it hadn't been for the police rounding these fellow Canadians up on Friday afternoon...

From today's Toronto's Globe and Mail:

Brampton, Ont. -- Members of an alleged homegrown terror cell appeared in a Brampton courtroom Saturday to face charges they plotted to attack Canadian targets in Southern Ontario.

In a series of raids Friday, police arrested 12 adults and five young offenders. In the process, they seized enough ammonium nitrate fertilizer to build an explosive device three times more devastating than the one used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. (bold mine)

"This group presented a real and serious threat. They had the capacity and intent to carry out a terrorist attack," said RCMP Asst. Commissioner Mike McDonell.

"Our investigation and arrests prevented the assembly of explosive devices and attacks being carried out. At all times, the focus of our investigation was the safety and protection of the public," he added.

Ammonium nitrate, when mixed with fuel, is highly explosive. Police seized three tonnes of the substance. By comparison, the bomb made by Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols that destroyed the federal building in Oklahoma City used one tonne of the fertilizer.

In addition, police also seized ignition devices, guns and other equipment they say pointed to the construction of the explosives.

Comments (Page 1)

singrdave

on Jun 03, 2006

This article goes to those who think that since it's been almost five years since 9/11 that we're totally out of danger.

Or that bad people don't come from Canada.

singrdave

on Jun 03, 2006

Charged are Fahim Ahmad, 21, of Toronto; Zakaria Amara, 20, of Mississauga; Asad Ansari, 21, of Mississauga; Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, of Mississauga; Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, of Mississauga; Mohammed Dirie, 22, of Kingston;

Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, of Kingston; Jahmaal James, 23, of Toronto; Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, of Toronto; Steven Vikash Chand (alias Abdul Shakur), 25, of Toronto; Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, of Mississauga; and Saad Khalid, 19, of Mississauga.

bakerstreet

on Jun 03, 2006

What in the hell would prompt them to attack Canada, I wonder? Talk about biting off your nose to spite your face...

I figured this was a bunch planning to run the border to the US. I am anxious to hear what their agenda was, or what they were mad about. It makes about as much sense as targeting al-Jazeera reporters...

singrdave

on Jun 03, 2006

I figured this was a bunch planning to run the border to the US.

How would they have gotten three tons of ANYTHING across the border without detection?! I mean, the Border Patrol is sad and sorry, but it is neither that sad nor that sorry.

singrdave

on Jun 03, 2006

I am anxious to hear what their agenda was, or what they were mad about.

Later in the article it says they must have been targeting Canadian sites, since they seemed to know how big a bomb they'd need. Like a sturdy government building or a national landmark.

Maybe they're trying to take down the Hellstorm computer in the CN Tower.

bakerstreet

on Jun 03, 2006

Oh, the Canadian border is a joke. They showed on spot the other day on some news show that is just a rural intersection with a sign and a little phone building where you are supposed to stop and call in if you have anything to declare, etc. There's no one sitting there watching, no one to notice. Supposedly there are a lot of places like that.

singrdave

on Jun 03, 2006

They showed on spot the other day on some news show that is just a rural intersection with a sign and a little phone building where you are supposed to stop and call in if you have anything to declare, etc.

Well, they wouldn't have gotten far into our country by the time the Mounties showed up to show them what's what! After they called in their cargo, that is.

All I know is that trying to cross at Niagara Falls is a pain in the ass.

MasonM

on Jun 03, 2006

I suppose it wouldn't be PC to mention that they all have Middle Eastern names now would it? Maybe they're pissed off because folks in Canada don't take the terrorist threat seriously?

singrdave

on Jun 03, 2006

Maybe they're pissed off because folks in Canada don't take the terrorist threat seriously?

From that article and others, I think Canadians are more surprised and disappointed that upset. The opinions I read are mostly:

...but we're such a loving and embracing country, how could they want to hurt us?

From a follow-up article in the Globe and Mail:
Alvin Chand, brother of Toronto suspect Steven Vikash Chand, scoffed at the charges outside the courthouse. (bold mine)

"He's not a terrorist, come on, he's a Canadian citizen" Mr. Chand said of his brother. "The people that were arrested are good people. They go to the mosque. They go to school, go to college."

Aly Hindy, an imam at the Salaheddin Islamic Centre in nearby Scarborough, said the centre's mosque had been monitored by security agencies for years. He said Muslims were once again being falsely accused.

"It's not terrorism. It could be some criminal activity with a few guys, that's all," said Mr. Hindy.

"We are the ones always accused."

I love that hard-hitting journalism: interview the family members. Which family member in his right mind would give up his own brother to the media jury? "Oh, yes, he'd been talking about jihad for months now... I wondered where he was going that morning with the sawed-off shotgun... those strangled kittens on the back porch were getting to be a bit of a nuisance..."

Dr Guy

on Jun 03, 2006

3 times the power of OK City with 6 times the people? Someone snipped them arabs!

At least Canada does not need to know. A boon for them, and a shame.

singrdave

on Jun 03, 2006

At least Canada does not need to know.

I got this out of the Toronto paper... are you implying the media would try to keep it quiet?

MasonM

on Jun 03, 2006

He said Muslims were once again being falsely accused.

Yeah, exactly. It was probably Buddhist extremists that blew up, ummm, everthing that's been blown up in the past 20 years or so.

Dr Guy

on Jun 03, 2006

got this out of the Toronto paper... are you implying the media would try to keep it quiet?

No. I am stating that they do not need to know 9-11.

singrdave

on Jun 04, 2006

I am stating that they do not need to know 9-11.

O I C now. I agree that I certainly wish no ill will towards Canada. 9/11 is not a lesson that should be shared.

singrdave

on Jun 06, 2006

Yeah, exactly. It was probably Buddhist extremists that blew up, ummm, everthing that's been blown up in the past 20 years or so.

The central message of Buddhism is not "every man for himself".

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