The 17 boys and men arrested were apparently involved in a plot to bomb Canadian landmarks, including the parliament buildings [1]. Though the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) has been investigating this group of alleged terrorists since 2004, after members supposedly posted "anti-western" messages on an Internet message board [2], it wasn't until last week that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) attempted to sell them three tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer [3] and arrested them.

The alleged terrorists never actually obtained any illegal materials, and a bag of fertilizer which had never been possessed by the suspects was brought in to make for a more convincing evidence photo in The Globe and Mail [4]. Among the actual evidence seized were electronics hobbyist tools like a multimeter and a soldering iron, found in many homes, and a cell phone with some wires and a circuit board. Michael Rivero of WhatReallyHappened.com notes "If you look closely, you can see that the wires aren't connected to anything, they are just draped over the cell phone and circuit board to create a pretty picture."

Rocco Galati, attorney for two of the accused, calls the charges against his clients "absolutely vague [and] oblique". "I believe these men are being rounded up as part of a political move to affect the judges," Galati said, in reference to an upcoming Supreme Court of Canada case involving evidentiary procedures in anti-terrorism cases [1].

The timing of these headline-stealing arrests does seem all-too convenient given the recent embarrassments suffered by Prime Minster Stephen Harper. From his strong words in response to a story about a proposed law in Iran intended to make Jews and Christians wear Nazi-esque badges on their clothing, later proved to be bogus, to his increasing filter for real questions at press conferences, it was very helpful for something to come along and make his government look good.

Indeed, Harper's statement on the arrests sounded like it was written by Karl Rove himself: "We are a target because of who we are and how we live, our society, our diversity and our values -- values such as freedom, democracy and the rule of law. The values that make Canada great, values that Canadians cherish." [5].

Some, however, would argue that we have become a target due to our government's increasing support of the Bush regime's Middle East misadventures.

It seems as though Canada's new Conservative government is already doing what many feared: turning us into the 51st state: America Junior. Federal Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day jumped on the terrorism arrests for some publicity, stating on CTV, "This type of action and the demonstration of what Canadian security forces can do in fact builds confidence, not just among Canadians, but among all of our allies." [5]. Oh, America, we just want you to like us.

And it's this policy that scares me more than groups of men that may or may not be terrorists. Like many Canadians, I voted the Liberal Party out of power because of their gross corruption after their 12-year run of virtually unchallenged waste and inefficiency, but I was well aware of the threat of becoming more Americanized under the Conservatives. I knew there was a risk, but surely someone in the government would challenge those who would have us lose what it is to be Canadian. How about the Liberals who managed to survive the election? Maybe the New Democrats will stand up for Canada? Maybe the Bloc Quebecois?

But now it's becoming all too clear that we Canadians are being incrementally led into the same police state of fear and ignorance that's been taking over our neighbor to the south since well before 9/11. Where voicing dissenting views, once protected by the same freedoms that supposedly make us a terrorist target, are now treated as a form of terrorism itself. Where owning a cell phone might make you a suspicious person, and an interest in electronics or chemistry may be grounds for arrest.

It's a slightly embarrassing fact about myself that I've never been outside of Canada. Sometimes my friends tease me about never having been in the US, but I know better: if I wait just a while longer, the US will be brought to me and all the rest of Canada.

Sources:

1. Canadian Muslims Condemn Alleged Bomb Plot, CNN, 6/4/06

2. Timeline: Probe into alleged terror plot began in 2004, CTV, 6/5/06

3. RCMP behind bomb material, Toronto Star, 6/4/06

4. Photo of items displayed during press conference, The Globe and Mail, 6/3/06

5. Raids prove that Canada not soft on terror, Day says, The Globe and Mail, 6/5/06

Matt McCollow is a freelance writer from Hamilton, Ontario.

___________________________

Ohhhhh Canada...
Not you, too!

By Cathy Garger
Axis of Logic

I saw this coming. I knew it was coming. I was waiting for it to come. But still, I was hoping against all hope ... that it would *not* come.

For some reason, even though I knew the US Evil-Doing Terror Mongers have been busy little bees, planning new varieties of false flag terror attacks, fake "terror" videos, and non-stop mainstream media coverage of the synthetic "War On Terror," (courtesy of that Al Qaeda that sure DOES get around)! Still, I always held on to some fleeting hope that the Al Qaeda Arab Boogie Man would never get around to "visiting" our northern neighbors, too.

I kept thinking for the past four and one-half years, "Let Canada be a place where we outraged, fed up Americans can get away when that snarling Uncle Sam gets any more psycho than he currently has become." Drats! Looks like that our window of opportunity for a northern escape has now already come and gone.

How foolish was I to fantasize that Canada as my Great Getaway From US Madness could last forever! I should have realized that it was only a matter of time before the North American Evil-Doing Globalist Masterminds joined forces and made some dastardly plans together.

Take the following story, for example. It's blatantly obvious that is straight out of the US intelligence psy ops writing department. Hey, do you think maybe Canada and the US went in together on some dark-windowed North American building in order to co-host a joint venture, a faux-news writers' club? After all, the US has got the controlled media spin down pat for arguably at least the last thirty years!

This Canadian terror group is interesting, however, in that it is not being touted as Al Qaeda but is reportedly only "inspired" by Al-Qaeda. When, for some reason, it is too inconvenient to get a film crew to haul out the guy in the cave or the other patsy with no leg? It's reassuring to know that imitating faux terror groups still can stand in as substitutes to get the job done!

Fear, fear, and more fear now has made it's way above the border. All they have to do next is stir in "anti- terrorism" Canadian police state legislation for good measure, create a new department of Naziland Security ~ and Voila! You've got a brand new mini US Prison Camp in the making!

Ten bucks the savvy Canadians are going to take a dim view of this new spin. From what I hear, our northern friends are "onto" these these evil-doers' tricks and are not going to take this anywhere nearly as lightly as our own Dumbed-Down Prozac America has.

If we read carefully the last sentence we will, however, see what the real intell spin game here is actually all about. We must pay strict attention to the phrase, "the country's immigration laws and border security are too weak to weed out potential terrorists."

Sorry, dear allies above, but there must be some deal going down where they need to make a greater commotion about our northern borders being too open and lax. Maybe this article serves to plant a seed that sets us all up for the place of origin for those who will reportedly commit the next US false flag terror attack? Or maybe the twist will be that Canada is going to experience its own 9/11 soon - and this time the evil-doers will come out of Boston's Logan Airport and make their way north through lax borders and flimsy immigration practices?

Then again, after 9/11, Washington did try to tell Canadians that the terrorists came from up their way - but Canada just wouldn't have any of it. That's not to say that they're not going to try to say the same thing again after we get hit with the next home-grown "Pearl Harbor" in the heartland.

Mon Dieu, please let me be proven wrong. Canada, take note what's going down. And whatever you do, don't let them "9/11" you like they did to us down here! America's simply never recovered from that horrible day and it would be too darn tragic if you let your own corrupt leaders get away with Mass Murder of your citizens, too.

Oh Canada, learn from sheer American ignorance! Expose your evil-doing plotters *now* before they implode your skyscrapers, fire a missile at your military command center, and shoot down some sort of aircraft over your rural fields! Educate one another and let those in power know unequivocally that you're *not* going to fall for such an attack (as did your more pitiful, facile neighbors to the south).

Please, please, Oh Canada, read between the lines, learn from our mistakes, and make sure that what happened in America is never, ever allowed to be repeated within your own borders. Seize your power, Oh Canada!

Dear Canadian Friends, things look pretty bleak for us down here right now as more than half of America is still without a clue. Learn from us, therefore, and do whatever you need to do in order to organize, fight, and resist your own Evil-Doers right this very minute - *now* - while you still can!

Cathy Garger
http://mytown.ca/garger