This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

id: 27175
date: 2/16/2005 19:29
refid: 05OTTAWA490
origin: Embassy Ottawa
classification: SECRET
destination: 05STATE23078
header:
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
----------------- header ends ----------------
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)
------------------
POLITICAL VIOLENCE
------------------
¶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.
--------------------
INDIGENOUS TERRORISM
--------------------
¶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
-----------------------
TRANSITIONAL TERRORISM
-----------------------
¶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.
Visit Canada's Classified Web Site at
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/ottawa
CELLUCCI