Spy agency tracking 80 Canadians after terrorism trips

Intelligence officials are aware of about 80 Canadians who have returned home after going overseas for “terrorist purposes,” according to speaking notes prepared for the director of the nation’s spy agency.

The document obtained by Postmedia News does not offer explicit information about their activities, though it makes it clear that not all were involved in combat. While some individuals may have engaged in paramilitary activities, others are believed to have studied in extremist Islamic schools or provided logistical or fundraising support. Others never achieved their goals and simply returned home.

The so-called “foreign fighter” phenomenon has become a growing concern for the intelligence community, stoking fears that individuals could return to Canada more radicalized than when they left. “Most troubling, if they participate in a foreign conflict or train with a terrorist group, they might return with certain operational skills that can be deployed themselves or taught to fellow Canadian extremists,” the Canadian Security Intelligence Service said in its annual report released earlier this year.

The 80 Canadians on CSIS’s radar were referenced in speaking notes prepared for the agency’s director, Michel Coulombe, ahead of his Feb. 3 appearance before a Senate committee. Postmedia News obtained a copy of the notes through access- to-information legislation.

During the hearing, Coulombe testified the agency was aware of more than 130 Canadians abroad who were believed to be supporting extremist activities. And he expressed concerns about the threat such individuals posed if they return home.

However, a review of Coulombe’s testimony shows no mention of the 80 individuals, who, according to his speaking notes, had returned to Canadian soil.

The director’s speaking notes do not indicate where they travelled or when. Coulombe did tell the committee that of the 130 Canadians who were still abroad, about 30 were in Syria. Other destinations included Somalia, Yemen and North and East Africa, the notes say.

It is not clear what action authorities have taken against those individuals who have returned to Canada. But Michel Juneau-Katsuya, a former senior intelligence officer with CSIS, said Sunday that the 80 individuals have to be considered “very high risk” and are likely being closely watched.

CSIS spokeswoman Tahera Mufti confirmed Sunday that “CSIS is aware of Canadians who have returned to Canada after having been abroad for terrorist purposes.” She added that the agency “actively investigates such individuals and is co-ordinating with the RCMP in order to keep Canadians safe.”

RCMP spokeswoman Sgt. Julie Gagnon said she could not “confirm or deny the existence of a national security criminal investigation for privacy concerns.”