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<!-- NOTE TO EDITORS: Please remember when editing that this is an encyclopedia. Comedic mentions of bears in the popular media have already been addressed in this article and probably do not need to be outlined any further. This is a constantly monitored article and vandalism to it may result in editing blocks. Thank you. -->
On [[June 2]] and [[June 3]], [[2006]], police and security agencies in [[Ontario]], [[Canada]] carried out a series of [[counter-terrorism]] raids in the [[Greater Toronto Area]] that resulted in the arrest of 17 alleged members of a purported [[Islamist terrorism|Islamic terrorist cell]]. Canadian authorities and law-enforcement agencies allege the men had been planning a series of major [[terrorist]] assaults on targets in southern Ontario.
{{otheruses}}
{{Taxobox
| color = pink
| name = Bear
| fossil_range = Early [[Miocene]] - Recent
| image = Kodiak_Brown_Bear.jpg
| image_width = 240px
| image_caption = ''Kodiak [[Brown Bear]]''
| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
| phylum = [[Chordate|Chordata]]
| classis = [[Mammal]]ia
| ordo = [[Carnivora]]
| subordo = [[Caniformia]]
| familia = '''Ursidae'''
| familia_authority = [[Johann Fischer von Waldheim|G. Fischer de Waldheim]], 1817
| subdivision_ranks = Genera
| subdivision =
''[[Ailuropoda]]''<br />
''[[Helarctos]]''<br />
''[[Melursus]]''<br />
''[[Ursus (genus)|Ursus]]''<br />
''[[Tremarctos]]''<br />
''[[Arctodus]]'' (extinct)
}}
A '''bear''' is a large [[mammal]] in the family '''Ursidae''' of the order [[Carnivora]]. The adjective "'''''ursine'''''" is used to describe things of a bear-like nature. The [[English collective nouns|collective noun]] for a group of them is a ''sleuth''.
==AllegationsEtymology==
Modern English "''bear''" derives from [[Old English]] "''bera''", which itself derives from [[Proto-Germanic]] "''*beron''" meaning "''the brown one''". (Compare [[Swedish language|Scandinavian]] "''björn''", [[Dutch language|Dutch]] "''beer''" and [[German language|German]] "''Bär''" all meaning "''bear''").
The group was allegedly preparing for a large-scale terrorist attack in [[southern Ontario]], which included detonating [[truck bomb]]s at at least two locations in Southern Ontario and opening fire in a crowded area. Police alleged they also made plans to storm various buildings such as the [[Canadian Broadcasting Centre]] and the Canadian [[Parliament Hill|Parliament]] building, and take hostages. According to one of the suspect's lawyers, they have been accused of planning to "behead the [[Prime Minister of Canada|Prime Minister]]", [[Stephen Harper]], and other leaders.<ref>[http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CANADA_TERRORISM_ARRESTS?SITE=ILEDW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT]</ref><ref>http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/06/06/canada.terror/index.html]</ref><ref>http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=c8008ad3-54e2-4155-98d1-6687c5649db3&k=1929]</ref>
Both [[Greek language|Greek]] ("''arktos''") and [[Latin]] ("''ursus''") have retained the [[Proto-Indo-European]] root word for "bear" ("''*rtko''") but it was ritually replaced in the northern branches of the [[Indo-European languages]] (The [[Germanic languages|Germanic]], [[Baltic languages|Baltic]], [[Celtic languages|Celtic]] and [[Slavic languages|Slavic]] branches) because of the hunters' [[taboo]] on the names of wild animals. For example the [[Irish language|Irish]] word for "''bear''" translated means "''the good calf''", in [[Welsh language|Welsh]] it translates as "''honey-pig''", in [[Lithuanian language|Lithuanian]] it means "''the licker''" and [[Russian language|Russian]] "''медведь''" literally means "''one who leads to honey''".
Law enforcement authorities have identified other specific targets, including the [[CSIS]] [[Toronto]] headquarters,<ref>[http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149371435834&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154]</ref> and the Parliamentary Buildings' [[Peace Tower]].<ref>[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060605.wxterror05/BNStory/National/home]</ref>
==Physical attributes==
===Charges===
*The 12 adult men are charged in connection with alleged terrorist acts ranging from from [[Conspiracy (crime)|conspiracy]] to carry out a [[terrorist]] activity, to training for terrorist purposes, to [[bomb]] making and [[illegal]]ly importing guns and [[ammunition]].
*All 12 adults are charged with knowingly participating in a terrorist group for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activity in Mississauga, Toronto, [[Fort Erie, Ontario|Fort Erie]], the Township of [[Ramara, Ontario|Ramara]] and elsewhere in Ontario, between [[March 1]], [[2005]] and June 2, 2006.
*3 of the 12 are also charged with importing [[firearm]]s and ammunition into Canada for the benefit of a terrorist group in Mississauga, Toronto, Fort Erie and elsewhere in Ontario, between March 1, 2005 and [[August 14]], 2005. They also face a related charge of collecting prohibited weapons and ammunition for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activity during the same time period.
*Ahmad, Amara, Ansari, Jamal, James, Durrani, Chand alias Shakur, Ghany and Khalid, are charged with receiving training for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a terrorist group to carry out terrorist activity, in Mississauga, Toronto, the Township of Ramara, and elsewhere in the province, between [[November 27]], 2005, and [[December 31]], 2005.
*Ahmad, Amara, Durrani, Chand and Shakur, face a separate charge of providing training for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a terrorist group to carry out a terrorist act at the same locations and between the same dates.
*Ahmad, Amara, Ansari, Abdelhaleen, Jamal and Khalid are charged with "doing anything with intent to cause an explosion of an explosive substance that is likely to cause serious bodily harm or death", in Mississauga, Toronto, Fort Erie, the Township of Ramara, and elsewhere in Ontario, between March 1, 2005, and June 2, 2006.
*The names and charges of the five people under the age of 18 have not been released, due to the privacy provisions of Canada's [[Youth Criminal Justice Act]]
Common characteristics of bears include a short tail, acute senses of smell and hearing, five non
==The arrests==
The raids were carried out by an inter-agency task force, the [[Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams|Integrated National Security Enforcement Team]] (INSET), which coordinated the activities of the [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] (RCMP), the [[Canadian Security Intelligence Service]], the [[Ontario Provincial Police]] (OPP), and other police forces, as the operation was spread across several different jurisdictions in southern Ontario, in the area north of [[Toronto]]. Each of the 400 police involved in the arrests was required to sign a confidentiality pledge under Canada's Official Secrets Act but the fact of the arrests was leaked to the [[Toronto Star]].
The police state that one of the arrested men, 20-year-old Zakaria Amara, ordered three [[tonne|metric tonnes]] (6600 [[pound (mass)|pound]]s) of [[ammonium nitrate]] fertilizer, a potentially powerful ingredient often used as quarry and mining [[explosives]]. This weight has widely been compared to the amount of ammonium nitrate used in the 1995 [[Oklahoma City bombing]] in the United States. The official account estimates the ammonium nitrate in the Oklahoma City bomb at 2000 pounds, or about 0.9 metric tons. However, independent analysts have estimated that the Oklahoma City bomb contained 4000 to 4800 pounds of the explosive.{{fact}} Therefore, this scale comparison should be interpreted cautiously, as the true amount seized in the arrests could be as little as 38% more, to over 200% more, than was used in Oklahoma City. According to the [[Toronto Star]] newspaper, a harmless substance was substituted for the ammonium nitrate and delivered to the men by the RCMP in a [[sting operation]].[http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149545412024&call_pageid=1149329604487&col=1149329604479]
Canadian ammonium nitrate suppliers have publicly stated that after the events of the [[Oklahoma City bombing]], it has been their policy not to deliver any substantial quantity of the chemical to anyone who is not a known customer. As such it would be virtually impossible for someone who is not a commercial [[farmer]] to obtain possession of any quantity of the compound. It is therefore unlikely that the suspects could have ordered the compound without raising police suspicion in any case.
In a press conference held after the arrests, the RCMP said that the CSIS had been monitoring the individuals since 2004, joined by the RCMP last year[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060603/toronto_arrests_060603/20060604?hub=TorontoHome], and that the individuals had planned to blow up unidentified targets in southern Ontario. The suspects, all of adherents to [[Islam]], were alleged by CSIS to have been inspired by [[Al-Qaeda]][http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/04/top10.htm]. A direct connection seems unlikely, as none of the suspects are known to be affiliated with the organization [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/world/americas/04toronto.html?ei=5087%0A&en=9a73d1adefdf1e34&ex=1149566400&pagewanted=all]. [[Prime Minister of Canada|Canadian Prime Minister]], [[Stephen Harper]], was informed of the raids, as were other political, security and police leaders across Ontario. The investigation started with intelligence officials monitoring [[Internet chat]] sites. The suspects were charged under the anti-terrorism legislation passed by [[Parliament of Canada|Canadian parliament]] in December 2001 in response to the [[September 11, 2001 attacks|September 11 attacks]] in the United States. The June 2 and 3 arrests were only the second time the legislation has been used, and marked one of the largest anti-terrorism arrests in North America.
On July 13, 2006, the [[Toronto Star]] reported that an unnamed but well-known member of Toronto's Islamic community had infiltrated the alleged terrorist cell while being on the police payroll as an [[informant]][http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1152741017173&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home]. The Star had earlier reported that another police agent was involved in receiving the ammonium nitrate[http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149371435834&call_pageid=1149588102453&col=1149588102220]. On July 16, 2006, the [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]] revealed the individual involved was [[Mubin Shaikh]], a Canadian-born Muslim of [[India|Indian]] heritage.[http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/toronto-bomb-plot/shaikh-interview.html]
==The suspects==
Fifteen of the suspects appeared in court in the afternoon of June 3, under heavy security. At roughly the same time, the identities of the 12 adult men were revealed:
*[[Qayyum Abdul Jamal]], 43, [[Mississauga, Ontario|Mississauga]] described as an active member of the mosque who frequently led prayers and made angry speeches and is believed to have incited the other members of the cell for jihad. [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/world/americas/05canada.html] He [[Immigration to Canada|migrated]] from [[Karachi]], [[Pakistan]] at an unknown date.[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060606.TERRORYOUTH06/TPStory/]
*[[Shareef Abdelhaleem]], 30, born in [[Egypt]] migrated with his family to Canada at the age of 10.
*[[Steven Vikash Chand]], alias Abdul Shakur, 25, a recent convert to [[Islam]] and a former [[Canadian Armed Forces|Canadian soldier]]. [http://www.metronews.ca/news_feature_detail.asp?id=16644]
*[[Yasim Abdi Mohamed]], 24, born in [[Somalia]], migrated to Canada with his family
*[[Jahmaal James]], 23, Toronto
*[[Mohammed Dirie]], 22, Markham (last known address) born in [[Somalia]] , migrated to Canada with his family
*[[Fahim Ahmad]], 21, Toronto
*[[Asad Ansari]], 21, Mississauga
*[[Ahmad Mustafa Ghany]], 21, born in Canada, his family migrated from [[Trinidad and Tobago]]. Ghany was released on $140,000 (Cdn.) [[bail]] on July 21, 2006.[http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1153433434523&call_pageid=968350130169&col=969483202845]
*[[Zakaria Amara]], 20, Mississauga
*[[Amin Mohamed Durrani]], 19, Toronto
*[[Saad Khalid]], 19, born in [[Pakistan]], he migrated with his family to Canada at the age of 8.
The identities of the five minors are legally protected by Canada's [[Youth Criminal Justice Act]].
Three of the men — Fahim Ahmad, Mohammed Dirie and Yasim Abdi Mohamed — are also alleged to have imported weapons and prohibited ammunition for terrorist purposes in [[Mississauga]], [[Toronto]], [[Fort Erie]] and elsewhere in Ontario, between [[March 1]], [[2005]] and [[August 14]], [[2005]].
Six of the 17 men arrested have ties to the Al Rahman [[Islamic]] Center near Toronto, a [[Sunni]] [[mosque]].<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/world/americas/05canada.html]</ref> Some members of the group were reported to have been attracted to [[Wahabbism]].<ref>[http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149460818270&call_pageid=1149329604487&col=1149329604479]</ref> Many of the men are also said to have practised military assault tactics at a cottage in southern [[Ontario]].[http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=9ee0b6bc-6d12-4fde-bd13-85d1cd6b71c5]
Another two members of the cell were already serving time in a [[Kingston, Ontario|Kingston]], [[Ontario]] prison on weapons possession charges.<ref>[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/world/americas/05canada.html?pagewanted=2]</ref> According to the [[FBI]] two other men, Syed Ahmed and Ehsanul Sadequee, who were recently arrested in [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]] in the United States on [[terrorism]] charges are connected to the case as well.<ref>[http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?floc=ne-national-more&idq=/ff/story/0002%2F20060603%2F1530023024.htm&sc=rontz]</ref>
==Impact on Canada-U.S. relations==
There are concerns{{fact}} that this case could heighten American fears that Canada may be a "haven" for terrorists, and that it could complicate Canadian diplomatic efforts to prevent proposed increased border security between the two countries.
The arrests sparked several comments by politicians in the United States regarding the security of Canada, as well that of the United States. [[Congress of the United States|Congressman]] [[Peter T. King|Peter King]] was reported on June 6 to have said that "there's a large [[al-Qaeda]] presence in Canada … because of their very liberal immigration laws, because of how political asylum is granted so easily",<ref>[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060605.terror-wash05/BNStory/International/home]</ref> without providing evidence to support his statement. On the same day, Representative [[John Hostettler]] of [[Indiana]] reportedly said that "South Toronto, like those parts of London that are host to the radical [[imam]]s who influenced the 9/11 terrorists and the shoe bomber, has people who adhere to a militant understanding of Islam". Hostettler's alleged comments were widely criticized in Canada, as there is no area of Toronto known as "South Toronto". Both Canada's [[Conservative Party of Canada|Conservative]] government and the [[Liberal Party of Canada|Liberal]] opposition condemned the "completely uninformed and ignorant remarks".<ref>[http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/09062006/6/n-canada-canada-slams-ignorant-comments-security.html]</ref><ref>[http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060609.wxborder09/BNStory/National/home]</ref>
However, the [[Secretary of State of the United States]] [[Condoleezza Rice]] publicly stated that the [[White House]] was satisfied that Canadian authorities have demonstrated that they are being duly vigilant against terrorism.
==Reporting controversy==
The initial reports of this incident caused some controversy when a [[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]] officer, Mike McDonell, described the arrested people as representing a "broad strata" of Canadian society and the ''[[Toronto Star]]'' claimed that it is "difficult to find a common denominator" among them, even though all were Muslims and many attended the same mosque. Some individuals in the media, such as [[Andrew C. McCarthy]] in ''[[National Review]]'', have described this as a tendency of the police and media to whitewash a role of militant Islam in contemporary terrorism.<ref>[http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MmRjMThlNDA0YmNmZWU1NzM4MGQ0NmVkOTUwMzExZTA=]</ref>
{{TorontoTerror}}
==See also==
{{wikinewspar2|Two arrested in England with possible connections to Canadian bomb plot|17 arrested in Canadian counter-terrorism operation}}
Agencies involved:
*[[Royal Canadian Mounted Police]]
*[[Toronto Police Service]]
*[[Peel Regional Police]]
*[[Durham Regional Police]]
*[[Canadian Security Intelligence Service]]
*[[Joint Task Force 2]]
*[[Canada Border Services Agency]]
==References==
<references />
*[http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/06/03/terror-suspects.html "Bomb plot suspects appear in court"], [[Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|CBC]], June 3, 2006
*[http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/06/03/canada.terror/index.html "Toronto terror plot foiled"], [[CNN]], June 3, 2006
*[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5044560.stm Canada charges 17 terror suspects], [[BBC]], June 3, 2006
*[http://voanews.com/english/2006-06-03-voa15.cfm Canadian Police Arrest 17 Suspected Terrorists], [[Voice of America]], June 3, 2006
*[http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=163408&SecID=2 "Canada arrests 17 allegedly 'inspired by al-Qaida'"], [[Associated Press]], June 3, 2006
*[http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/04/top10.htm 17 held in terror plot], Dawn, June 4, 2006
*[http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/June2006/03/c2959.html Twelve Arrested on Anti-Terrorism Charges], CNW, June 3, 2006
*[http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/world/americas/04toronto.html?ei=5087%0A&en=9a73d1adefdf1e34&ex=1149566400&pagewanted=all "17 Held in Plot to Bomb Sites in Ontario"], [[New York Times]], June 4, 2006
*[http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=9ee0b6bc-6d12-4fde-bd13-85d1cd6b71c5 Frightened rural Ontario residents describe 'terror-training camp'], [[National Post]], June 5, 2006
*[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060604/terrorists_court_060604/20060604?hub=CTVNewsAt11 Toronto's top cop urges calm after arrests], [[CTV]], June 5, 2006
*[http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=2e8f5170-6f5d-451a-857f-938d3b93d532 After escaping war in Somalia, terror suspects grew up in Toronto], [[National Post]], June 5, 2006
*[http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149630613348&call_pageid=968332188492 Plan to 'behead' PM], [[Toronto Star]], June 7, 2006
==External links==
*[http://www.rcmp.ca/news/n_0608_e.htm Official RCMP-GRC English News Release]
*[http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-46/267115.html Canadian Criminal Code — Section 83, Terrorism]
*[http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Render&c=Gallery&cid=1127469819683 Photos of the arrests]
*[http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/HTMLTemplate?tf=/ctv/mar/video/new_player.html&cf=ctv/mar/ctv.cfg&hub=TopStories&video_link_high=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2006/06/05/ctvvideologger2_691kbps_2006_06_05_1149543622.wmv&video_link_low=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2006/06/05/ctvvideologger2_218kbps_2006_06_05_1149543066.wmv&clip_start=00:03:15.42&clip_end=00:14:34.34&clip_caption=CTV%20Toronto:%20Correspondents%20cover%20the%20arrests&clip_id=ctvnews.20060605.00148000-00148398-clip1&subhub=video&no_ads=&sortdate=20060605&slug=terror_canada_update_060605&archive=CTVNews#ctvnews.20060605.00148000-00148398-clip1 CTV Toronto Video coverage of incident]
*[http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2006/06/canadian-anti-terror-law-on-trial.php Canadian Anti-Terror Law on Trial: The Toronto Terrorism Arrests], [[JURIST]]
[[Category:2006 in Canada|Toronto]]
[[Category:Terrorist incidents in 2006|Toronto terrorism case]]
[[Category:Terrorism in Canada]]
[[fr:Complot terroriste au Canada en 2006]]
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