US embassy cable - 05OTTAWA490

S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000490 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2015 
TAGS: ASEC, PTER 
SUBJECT: SECURITY ENVIRONMENTAL PROFILE RESPONSE FOR 
MISSION CANADA 
 
REF: STATE 23078 
 
Classified By: RSO THOMAS F. GREY, JR., REASON 1.4 (G) 
 
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POLITICAL VIOLENCE 
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1. (SBU) DEMONSTRATIONS 
A. YES 
B. YES 
C. YES 
D. ALCAN POSTS PREVIOUSLY REPORTED THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF 
DEMONSTRATORS TO BE APPROXIMATELY 50.  HOWEVER, A STEADY 
INCREASE IN THE NUMBER AND FREQUENCY OF DEMONSTRATIONS DID 
OCCUR THROUGHOUT CANADA. DURING AND AFTER THE IRAQI 
WAR/CONFLICT CG'S TORONTO AND MONTREAL, DUE TO THE ETHNIC 
MAKE-UP OF THOSE CITIES, EXPERIENCED DEMONSTRATIONS WITH 
NUMBERS IN THE THOUSANDS. OBVIOUSLY, THIS INCREASE WAS A 
DIRECT RESULT TO GROWING ANTI-WAR ACTIVISTS AND U.S. POLICY 
IN THE MIDDLE-EAST AND PERSIAN GULF IN ADDITION TO THE ETHNIC 
MAKEUP, POLITICAL ENVIRONMENT, AND LARGE STUDENT POPULATION 
WHERE STUDENTS TEND TO BE SOMEWHAT LEFT-LEANING. ANTI-WAR 
DEMONSTRATIONS AND RALLIES DID OCCUR IN OTHER LARGE CANADIAN 
CITIES SUCH AS OTTAWA, VANCOUVER, CALGARY AND HALIFAX AND 
WERE CONSTANT DURING AND IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE IRAQI WAR. 
 
E. MILITARY ACTIONS AND U.S. FOREIGN POLICY IN GENERAL 
F. PEACEFUL 
G. THE USG DID HAVE TO PAY ABOUT CAD 13,000 LAST SPRING TO 
THE  BUILDING MANAGEMENT CORPORATION TO REPAIR DAMAGE TO THE 
BUILDING HOUSING THE CONSULATE IN MONTREAL AS A RESULT OF A 
LARGE ANTI-WAR PROTESTS -- MOSTLY FOR THE REMOVAL OF RED 
PAINT THROWN REPEATEDLY ON THE EXTERIOR WALLS, REMOVAL OF 
BLACK MARKER FROM OUR GREAT SEAL, AND OTHER NON-STRUCTURAL, 
SUPERFICIAL DAMAGE. A MONTREAL POLICE OFFICER DID SUSTAIN 
SOME MINOR INJURIES AFTER HE WAS STRUCK WITH A THROWN BRICK. 
H. NO 
I. YES, ANTI-WAR 
J. YES 
K. NUMBERS OF ANTI-WAR DEMONSTRATORS STEADILY INCREASED. 
L. PEACEFUL FOR THE MOST PART WITH A FEW ARRESTS 
M. NOTE COMMENTS IN PARA G ABOVE 
 
2. (SBU) MACRO CONFLICT CONDITIONS 
A. NO 
B. N/A 
C. N/A 
D. N/A 
 
3. (CON/NOFORN) HOST COUNTRY CAPABILITIES 
A. YES 
B. YES 
C. NO 
D. YES, THE CANADIAN SECURITY INTELLIGENCE SERVICE (CSIS) AND 
THE ROYAL CANADIAN MOUNTED POLICE (RCMP) HAVE DEMONSTRATED A 
COMMITMENT TO BATTLE TERRORISM.  CANADIAN SERVICES DO NOT 
APPEAR TO BE AS PROACTIVE AS U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT REGARDING 
CELL PENETRATION AND SOURCE DEVELOPMENT. BOTH AGENCIES ARE 
SUPPORTIVE AND COOPERATIVE WITH U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR THE 
MOST PART ALTHOUGH RESTRICTED BY THE CANADIAN CHARTER OF 
RIGHTS. 
E. YES, AS LONG AS PRIVACY REGULATIONS ARE ENFORCED TO THE 
FULLEST DEGREE OF THE LAW. 
F. YES 
G. YES 
H. GOOD/AVERAGE. IN GENERAL, MAJOR AIRPORTS GENERALLY HAVE 
GOOD SECURITY CONTROLS IN PLACE. HOWEVER, U.S. PRECLEARANCE 
OPERATIONS AT SEVEN MAJOR AIRPORTS IN CANADA ARE LOCATED IN 
FRONT OF AIRPORT SECURITY. US DIRECTED POLITICAL PRESSURE IS 
ELIMINATING A PORTION OF THIS PROBLEM WITH NEW FACILITIES AT 
OTTAWA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. USE OF THE US NO-FLY LIST HAS 
BEEN ADDED FOR OUTBOUND INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS BUT NOT USED 
FOR DOMESTIC AIR TRAVEL. 
I. REVENUE CANADA CUSTOMS AND CANADIAN IMMIGRATION ARE 
REASONABLY EFFECTIVE AT PORTS OF ENTRY. 
J. CANADA LACKS A DEDICATED BORDER PATROL.  THE RCMP PERFORMS 
THIS FUNCTION. 
 
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INDIGENOUS TERRORISM 
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4. (SBU) ANTI-AMERICAN TERRORIST GROUPS 
A. NO 
B. N/A 
C. N/A 
D. N/A 
E. N/A 
F. N/A 
G. N/A 
H. N/A 
5. (SBU) OTHER INDIGENOUS TERRORIST GROUPS 
A. YES 
B. NATIVE CANADIAN (ABORIGINAL) GROUPS HAVE, ON OCCASION, HAD 
CONFRONTATIONS WITH CANADIAN GOVERNMENT SECURITY AND MILITARY 
PERSONNEL. 
C. NO 
D. N/A 
E. NO 
 
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TRANSITIONAL TERRORISM 
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6. (S/NF) TRANSNATIONAL TERRORIST INDICATORS 
 
A. YES. ALMOST EVERY KNOWN ISLAMIC EXTREMIST GROUP HAS EITHER 
A PRESENCE OR SYMPATHIZERS IN CANADA SUCH AS THE HIZBALLAH; 
AL-ITIHAD; ALGERIAN GIA; THE LTTE; EGYPTIAN ISLAMIC JIHAD AND 
AL-QAEDI. SIKH EXTREMISTS ARE ALSO PRESENT AND ARE UNDER 
SCRUTINY BY CANADIAN SECURITY SERVICES AS A RESULT OF THEIR 
INVOLVEMENT IN THE 1985 AIR INDIA BOMBING. ALCAN POSTS HAVE 
SEEN AN INCREASE IN THE NUMBER OF VISA VIPER ENTRIES. 
B. THE ORGANIZATIONS AND SYMPATHIZERS ARE PRIMARILY ASSESSED 
AS PROPAGANDA, FINANCIAL, AND/OR SUPPORT CELLS.  MOST 
RECENTLY, FINANCIAL SUPPORT FRONTS FOR HAMAS. OPERATIONAL 
ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN PLANNED IN CANADA IN RECENT YEARS SUCH 
AS WELL DOCUMENTED EL-MAATI PROBE. ANOTHER NOTABLE EXAMPLE 
WAS THE DECEMBER 1999 ARREST OF CONVICTED TERRORIST AHMED 
RESSAM AND THE SUBSEQUENT ARREST OF A NUMBER OF HIS 
ACCOMPLICES. RESSAM WAS A MONTREAL BASED TERRORIST 
APPREHENDED AT THE BRITISH COLUMBIA/WASHINGTON STATE BORDER 
AS HE WAS ENROUTE TO CONDUCT AN ATTACK IN THE UNITED STATES. 
INVESTIGATIONS INDICATE CANADA-BASED EXTREMISTS HAVE TIES TO 
IDENTIFIED OR SUSPECT TERRORISTS OVERSEAS. THE NATURE AND 
EXTENT OF THE CANADA-BASED PERSONS INVOLVEMENT WITH THESE 
TERRORISTS IS OFTEN UNCLEAR BUT SHOULD GIVE CAUSE FOR 
CONCERN. 
C. NO 
D. (S/NF) YES, THERE ARE EXTREMISTS WHO ARE IN SYMPATHY WITH 
THE ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALIST ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING AL-QAEDA. 
SEVERAL ARRESTS BY CANADIAN SERVICES WERE MADE OVER THE LAST 
YEAR OF SUSPECTED AL-QAEDA MEMBERS.  NGO'S HAVE ALSO BEEN 
DETERMINED TO BE IN SUPPORT OF SUSPECTED TERRORIST FUND 
RAISING ACTIVITIES. THERE ARE SIKH EXTREMISTS IN SYMPATHY 
WITH THE SIKH ORGANIZATION(S). THE LARGEST OF THOSE 
COMMUNITIES, WE BELIEVE, ARE NOT FULLY KNOWN TO SECURITY 
SERVICES, WHO CONTINUE TO WORK THE TARGETS IN QUESTION TO 
ACCESS AND RE-ASSESS THAT QUESTION.  FOR EXAMPLE, THE GLOBAL 
RELIEF FOUNDATION (GRF) AND THE BENEVOLENCE INTERNATIONAL 
FUND (BIF), BOTH LISTED AS HAVING SUPPORTED TERRORISM BY THE 
U.S. HAVE BEEN ACTIVE IN CANADA. THE TAMIL LTTE IS ALSO VERY 
ACTIVE IN RAISING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THROUGH A VARIETY OF 
FRONT GROUPS. 
E. YES 
F. (S/NF) EXTREMIST GROUPS RESIDENT IN CANADA PRIMARILY 
OPERATE AS PROPAGANDA, FINANCIAL AND SUPPORT CELLS. HOWEVER, 
THE POTENTIAL THREAT FROM THESE GROUPS CANNOT BE DISCOUNTED. 
IN JANUARY, 2002, A SUSPECTED AL QAEDA-TRAINED TERRORIST, AL 
RAUF BIN AL HABIB BIN YOUSEF AL-JIDDI, A CANADIAN CITIZEN 
BORN IN TUNISIA, WAS IDENTIFIED AS ONE OF THE FIVE SUICIDE 
MARTYRS WHOSE PHOTOS WERE RELEASED BY THE 
U.S. GOVERNMENT IN JANUARY 2002. AL-JIDDI LIVED IN MONTREAL. 
U.S. LAW ENFORCEMENT DO ON OCCASION IDENTIFY AN INDIVIDUAL OF 
INTEREST WITH TIES TO CANADA AS IS THE CURRENT SITUATION WITH 
ABDERRAOUF JDEY AND MAHAR ARAR. 
G. N/A 
H. THE EAC BELIEVES THAT CANADA'S STRICT LAWS PERTAINING TO 
WEAPONS IN GENERAL IS A DETERRENT TO THE AVAILABILITY OF 
SMALL ARMS. POST CANNOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY THAT OTHER 
TYPES OF WEAPONS TO INCLUDE CBW AND COMBAT GRADE EXPLOSIVES 
COULD BE USED AGAINST U.S. OR OTHER INTERNATIONAL TARGETS AS 
WITNESSED IN RECENT WORLD EVENTS. 
 
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