TORONTO, March 7 /CNW/ - "Despite warnings from security agencies, and despite media coverage of Canadians mixed up with terrorist groups...many Canadians seem unaware of the extent to which their country has become both a source of and a haven for international terrorists," writes TIME Canada editor Michael Elliott in his introduction to TIME's exclusive publishing of excerpts from Stewart Bell's new book Cold Terror: How Canada Nurtures and Exports Terrorism Around The World (John Wiley & Sons Canada, Ltd., March, 2004 release). The excerpts appear in the March 15th, 2004 Canadian Edition of TIME Magazine (on newsstands this week) and demonstrate Canada's vulnerability "'to infiltration by international terrorist networks'".
Here are some excerpts from Bell's book.
"Ahmed Ressam . . . . After months of training, Ressam returned to his base, a country that was harboring every major international terrorist organization on the planet, a country where terrorists were building bombs; raising money for weapons; plotting; recruiting; and then going out into the world to spread terror.
"That country is Canada.
"There are a good many Canadian-based terrorists like Ressam out there in the world. "You can find them in Scarborough and Peshawar, Vancouver and Cairo, Montreal and Beirut.
[. . . . ] Canada has become a source country of international terrorism. Former prime minister Jean Chretien used to boast that the United Nations Human Development Index showed Canada was the best country in the world in which to live. During the past two decades, it also became the best country in the world for terrorists to make their home. Canada has provided a haven, money, propaganda, weapons and foot soldiers to the globe's deadliest religious, ethnic and political extremist movements."
In addition, there is this: Time's Tim McGirk interviewed Abdurahman Khadr's sister Zaynab in Islamabad, Pakistan from whom he learned:
" 'Abdurahman won't be one of us. Not anymore.' "
McGirk's investigative piece traces the recent history of the Khadr family and in so doing raises serious questions about Zaynab's denial."
[. . . .] Bin Laden was a guest of honor at Zaynab's wedding to a Yemeni Islamic fighter; Zaynab was a schoolmate of al-Zawahiri's daughter, and for a while, before Sept. 11, 2001, the families all lived together in the same Arab compound in Jalalabad. Ahmed Said's wife, Maha Elsamnah, a Palestinian-Canadian, was friendly with two of bin Laden's four wives. '
Anti-American, anti-Israel Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish has won the nomination in the newly created riding of Mississauga-Erindale by a slim margin.
[. . . . ] She also attacked National Post reporter Stewart Bell after he received an award for investigative journalism from B'nai Brith's Institute for International Affairs. Bell has raised ire in certain circles for his exposes on the activities of terrorist groups both internationally and here in Canada.
Why was she on one trip to the Palestinian territories on a "trip funded by Mississauga's Palestine House"? That does not pass my personal sniff test for a Canadian MP.
Jewish community members are shaken, but not surprised, following the arrest of a Canadian citizen in Israel.
Jamal Akkal, 23, was detained by the Israel Security Agency on November 1. He is accused of training with Hamas in order to assassinate a senior Israeli official in the United States, and target leaders of the American and Canadian Jewish communities.
Akkal, originally from Nuseirat in Gaza, has lived in Windsor, Ontario since 1999 and holds Canadian citizenship.
[. . . .] “We have been working with the OPP anti-terrorism unit for quite some time, and we’re not naïve to think there isn’t something happening in Windsor.”
According to the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO), Akkal admitted to meeting with Ahmed Wahabe, a senior Hamas terrorist from Nuseirat. Wahabe told Akkal that he had been recruited to Hamas and asked Akkal if he could assist in Canada.
Among Akkal’s alleged assignments was the assassination of a senior Israeli official who was to visit the US.
Akkal was also allegedly asked to attack members of the US and Canadian Jewish communities, either by shooting or by bombing their homes and/or cars.
The GPO reports that Wahabe told Akkal to raise funds in Canadian mosques, ostensibly for the families of suicide bombers, which he would actually use for purchasing a weapon and financing his expenses in monitoring his prospective targets and in perpetrating the attacks.
[. . . .] He notes that while Canadian politicians are expressing concern about Akkal’s treatment in Israel, they’ve largely been silent on the threat of terrorism in Canada.
[. . . .] “This is of particular concern given the horrific terrorist attacks that have been carried out just recently in Turkey, Morocco, Kenya and Tunisia, and the increase in harassment, assault and vandalism related to the Middle East conflict that we have documented here in Canada.”
[. . . .] Kessler believes that it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. He recently returned from Israel where he met with the head of the anti-terrorism unit. “Apparently Israel has had three international conferences on counter-terrorism,” says Kessler, “and Canada hasn’t been at one of them.”
This article goes along with the next two articles on whistleblower legislation being introduced in Canada now. Do note in the article following this that Minister Coderre claims to be "flexible" on the whistleblower legislation -- so perhaps a bit of concerted "noise" is necessary.
The Americans have another solution for whistleblowers. You might wish to check whether this--qui tam / Qui Tam--applies in Canada. It is an interesting idea.
Just do a google search for "Qui Tam". This site contained the following definition.
The Qui Tam Information Center is a place for whistleblowers and attorneys to gain information and help in pursuing qui tam actions.
Qui Tam ("who sues on behalf of the king as well as for himself") is a provision of the Federal Civil False Claims Act that allows a private citizen to file a suit in the name of the U.S. Government charging fraud by government contractors and other entities who receive or use government funds, and share in any money recovered.
How very interesting -- and there is much more. One more excerpt, then link for the rest.
Qui tam (Black's Law Dictionary pronunciation: kwày tæm) is an abbreviation from the Latin "qui tam pro domino rege quam pro sic ipso in hoc parte sequitur" meaning "who as well for the king as for himself sues in this matter."
Black's Law Dictionary defines a qui tam action as "an action brought by an informer, under a statute which establishes a penalty for the commission or omission of a certain act, and provides that the same shall be recoverable in a civil action, part of the penalty to go to any person who will bring such action and the remainder to the state or some other institution."
Qui tam is a provision of the [US] Federal Civil False Claims Act that allows private citizens to file a lawsuit in the name of the U.S. Government charging fraud by government contractors and others who receive or use government funds, and share in any money recovered.
This unique law was enacted by Congress in order to effectively identify and prosecute government procurement and program fraud and recover revenue lost as a result of the fraud.
The qui tam provision has had the effect of privatizing government legal remedies by allowing private citizens to act as "private attorneys general" in the effort to prosecute government procurement and program fraud. Although most of the early successes in qui tam actions have been against defense contractors, more and more actions are being filed that involve other governmental agencies such as Health and Human Services, Environment, Energy, Education, NASA, Agriculture and Transportation. Successful recoveries for a qui tam case, to date, have been as high as $125-150 million.
Update: Does the Slush Fund Government Really Want Effective Whistleblower Legislation?
This updates the post directly below. Check what a woman who has been on unpaid leave for the past six years has to say about the whistleblower legislation -- along with others' criticism, although everyone makes a bit of noise about the legislating being a welcome first attempt. Note what has been italicized and emphasized below by me.
OTTAWA -- [. . . .] Ottawa said the legislation covers most federal public-sector employees and requires bureaucracy bosses to set up avenues for internal disclosure.
[. . . .] But the legislation doesn't go nearly far enough, critics said. It doesn't include cabinet ministers' aides or those who are involved in national security, including the RCMP, Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Communications Security Establishment and National Defence.
The law also calls for a new integrity commissioner to be appointed by and to report to a cabinet minister, [. . . . ]
Joanna Gualtieri, one of two former Foreign Affairs employees who say their bosses harassed them for years after they tried to get officials to put an end to excessive spending, called the legislation a "major disappointment."
Ms. Gualtieri, who has been on unpaid leave for the past six years [I have a suspicion she could tell a very interesting story. NJC], said it doesn't provide enough independence from government, nor does it provide potential whistle blowers with adequate protection.[. . . .]
She and other critics also warned civil servants not to believe that they're protected by the proposal.
The Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada, which represents about 49,000 professionals and scientists, saluted the government for fulfilling a long-held commitment but criticized much of its content. It said the legislation doesn't provide whistle blowers with direct access to an independent third party, excludes too many employees, and fails to provide an independent integrity commissioner.
OTTAWA - Canada's integrity officer says the Liberals vaunted whistleblowing legislation tabled yesterday is too weak and could discourage bureaucrats from exposing wrongdoing and corruption in government.
Edward Keyserlingk said the proposed bill is a "disappointment" that ignores the strongest recommendations urged by a special working group whose blueprint would have made Canada's whistleblowing laws the strongest among the Commonwealth nations.
[. . . .] "It does not respond to public servants' cynicism and lack of confidence and I think it might end up feeding both and, to me, that's a tragedy. It's better than what we have now, but it is deficient in so many ways."
[. . . .] The proposed bill creates a new Public Service Integrity Commissioner who reports through a minister, rather than directly to Parliament, which critics argue undermines the office's independence and credibility.
Now, re-read that. Why is this layer of insulation necessary? It smacks of having our Ethics Commissioner on JCs short leash -- to me.
[. . . .] Mr. Keyserlingk said the new integrity commissioner would have no more investigatory and enforcement powers than he now has. The bill does not give the commissioner subpoena powers, access to Cabinet documents, or the ability to follow investigations into ministers' offices nor probe complaints from Canadians about wrongdoing in government, all of which were recommended by the working group.
That last paragraph is the crux of the problem with the proposed legislation! An integrity commissioner not able to follow investigations into minsters' offices -- exactly what ***, ***, and all the rest want. Would this keep those investigations away from a crucial source of information that should come out? What do you think -- based on Canadians' past experience of another commissioner -- our Ethics Commissioner to whom ministers were able to turn in their hour of need -- when conflict of interest questions started coming? NJC
Book -- Cold Terror: How Canada Nurtures and Exports Terrorism to the World
Stewart Bell's article on the death of the man who urged Palestinian killing of Israelis, Sheik Yassin, entitled "He helped keep Hamas on short leash" is not on the website yet, but it is worth reading. (See the National Post, Mar. 23, 03) Bell quotes several Middle East experts/researchers on the implications for all of us of the killing of the murderer Palestinian Sheik Yassin. It bodes ill for all of us; nevertheless, I still feel that, in the face of continued suicide bombing and an attempt at getting to a chemical site (I believe) in Israel for Palestinian destruction, Israel has a right to protect its citizens and its infrastructure.
Meanwhile, check this link with a description of the content of Stewart Bell's book, Cold Terror: How Canada Nurtures and Exports Terrorism to the World, . It is truly frightening what has been allowed to happen in Canada for the last several years -- compliments of the usual suspects. It is worth linking to this just to read what is in this book and who contributed information -- some knowledgeable sources, I would think.
Quote from David Frum:
*** "Cold Terror will shock the conscience of the nation. In terrifying detail, it shows how the world's terrorists have made themselves at home in Canada-and how they have been made welcome by cowardly politicians. This book is not an exposé; it is an urgent call to action." ***
A Turkish diplomat is gunned down in an Ottawa parking lot; a truck bomb destroys the business district of the Sri Lankan capital Colombo; a plot to assassinate the Israeli prime minister is uncovered in Jerusalem; a bomb destined for Los Angeles International Airport is found stashed in the trunk of a car; an explosion levels a crowded nightclub in Indonesia.
The common denominator? All were the work of Canadian-based terrorists. While Canada is officially an ally in the war on global terror, over the past two decades, the country has allowed itself to become an important center of world terrorism, a place where violent radicals raise money, buy weapons, recruit operatives, plan attacks and spread their hateful ideologies.
A timely and well-researched book, Cold Terror tells the untold story of how Canada became a base for the world's deadliest terrorist organizations. [. . . .]
Drawing on a vast collection of classified intelligence documents, the author's frontline accounts from the war on terror and exclusive interviews with senior Canadian counter-terrorism officials, victims of terror and terrorists themselves, Cold Terror vividly presents Canada's long-neglected terrorism problem--and its bloody consequences.
