Detainee trained to fly: 19 suspects allegedly used student visas to enter Canada

TORONTO - An anti-terrorism probe that led to the arrest of 19 Pakistani men, including one who took commercial flight training over a nuclear power plant, highlights security holes that should have been plugged after the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks, Ontario officials said.

The Public Security and Anti-Terrorism Unit, a federal national security task force, quietly arrested the group of mostly young men last week. The men appear to have used fraudulent student visas to enter Canada or to maintain their residency here.

Federal authorities documented a pattern of suspicious behaviour that shows an interest in Ontario's nuclear generators and bears similarities to the hijackers involved in the 9/11 terror attacks on the United States.

"It raises serious concerns about the issue of people being in the country on false documentation and taking flight training," Bob Runciman, Ontario's Minister of Public Security. . . "

Federal investigators found an "alarming" network of immigrants, tied to a Toronto diploma mill, whose activities include trying to get into a nuclear compound, gathering radioactive devices, moving house in the middle of the night and learning to fly, according to a document summarizing the case presented at immigration detention hearings this week.

"There is a pattern of fraudulent document use to obtain or maintain immigration status," the document says. "To enter and/or remain in a country by misrepresentation is a known ruse used by persons of security concern.

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A police search of records at the school [Ottawa Business College] turned up 31 people who appear to have fraudulently used the school to enter or stay in Canada; 19 were arrested.

Most are between 18 and 33 who, with one exception, have connections to Pakistan's Punjab province, noted for its Sunni Muslim extremism, authorities say.

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The men lived simply and moved often.

"Generally, the only items reported in the residences are mattresses on the floor and a computer. One cluster left an apartment during the night and discarded all of their belongings: mattresses, clothing and computer shells, apparently taking only the computer hard drive upon vacating an apartment," the document says.

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One of the men's roommates provided a landlord with a letter of reference from Global Relief Foundation, Inc., which has been identified by the United Nations as a group that provides financial support to terrorist groups, including al-Qaeda.

Mr. Runciman and other provincial authorities said the case required intensive action to reduce lapses in Canada's immigration and security systems. "We need to know how many student visas have been issued by the federal government; how many of these schools have had security or background checks; how many of the students are still in Canada even though their visa has expired," he said.

He has also asked for a review of the province's regulation of non-degree granting schools and their ownership.

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The arrests also highlighted concerns over the security of Canada's nuclear reactors. Two of the group were found by police trying to enter the Pickering nuclear power station at 4:15 a.m. on a cool, damp night. They allegedly asked officers for permission to enter the perimeter to go for a walk on the beach. And one took flight training that took him over the Pickering nuclear site.

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Michel Clèroux, a spokesman for the Nuclear Safety Commission, said imposing no-fly zones over nuclear facilities is "not a practical option." Many of the nuclear stations are in the midst of heavily populated areas with busy air traffic. Imposing no-fly zones around the plants would be too disruptive, he said.

Mohammed Syed, a Toronto lawyer representing two of the men, accused the government of using public fears over terrorism to keep his clients behind bars. "The allegations are so sketchy and so flimsy it boggles the mind they would be detained as security risks," Mr. Syed said. "I think it's over-reaction on [the authorities'] part, partly because of Sept. 11 and because all these males are Muslim," he said. "That, to me, smacks of racism."

Terrorism specialists, however, said the case should be watched closely.

"At best, this is a large immigration fraud," said a counter-terrorism official who did not want to be named. "At worst, it is something very nefarious that reflects some of the things that we've been worrying about for some time. This is a glass half-full/glass half-empty story: It's good they were caught, but why did they get in?"

Mark Dunn, spokesman for Denis Coderre, the federal Immigration Minister, said the arrests illustrate the collaborative efforts of the RCMP, Immigration officials and other law enforcement agencies.

Mr. Runciman, however, complained Ontario's police agencies were not informed of the operation.