CIA-linked plane touched down at small airport in Ontario

‘ Don’t pursue this any further,’ reporter told Aircraft suspected of carrying terror suspects

OTTAWA— A mysterious Twin Otter plane owned by a suspected CIA front turned up in northern Ontario this fall, raising unanswered questions about why it was there.

It’s the latest twist in a perplexing saga of aircraft controlled by apparent shell companies of the U. S. Central Intelligence Agency.

Flight data obtained by The Canadian Press indicates the DeHavilland DHC-6-300 aircraft landed in Sault Ste. Marie in early October after taking off from Michigan’s Jackson County Airport. From there, the 22- seat turboprop made a short trip to an airport just southwest of the hamlet of Bar River. An airport official, who asked not to be named, said he does not discuss planes that use Bar River out of respect for customers’ privacy. “ I suggest you don’t pursue this any further.

“ I have no knowledge of any CIA aircraft.”

Planes generally stop in Bar River for refuelling or maintenance, he said. The airport is home to a company that specializes in work on DeHavilland aircraft. There is no record of the plane leaving Bar River. The alleged CIA Twin Otter had flown to Jackson, Mich., from Johnston County Airport in Smithfield, N.C., which the New York Times singles out as a hub for covert U. S. air operations.

U. S. Federal Aviation Administration records show the aircraft, with tail number N6161Q, is registered to Aviation Specialties, Inc., one of seven firms identified by the Times as CIA proprietaries. The address of the difficult- to- trace company is an anonymous Washington post office box. The Twin Otter is among at least seven aircraft owned by alleged CIA front companies that have landed at Canadian airports during the past six months, according to flight data.

Concern, here and in Europe, has focused on reports some of the planes may have been transporting terrorist suspects to foreign prisons. A CIA spokesperson declined comment on reports of Canadian landings. Captions accompanying Internet photos of the N6161Q Twin Otter note prominent antennas on its upper fuselage. The plane reportedly has been to Nevada, Afghanistan, Egypt, Iraq, Malta and an airport in Shannon, Ireland.

Foreign Affairs has said it will bring any data of concern about CIA- linked flights here to Washington’s attention.