The VIA bombing plot
Canadians should be very concerned about the Harper government’s proposed Combating Terrorism Act, which would allow police to arrest anyone, and not just suspected terrorists, without a warrant. One only has to recall the recent G20 fiasco in Toronto, or Pierre Trudeau’s War Measures Act in the wake of the FLQ terrorist attacks in October 1970.
That the Royal Canadian Mounted Police timed its arrest of suspects in a plot to attack a passenger train on the same day as debate on the Combating Terrorism Act seems more than mere coincidence. Just who will this act target: terrorists or anyone who opposes Harper Inc.? Alan Pellettier, Scarborough
Terrorism is a tactic and a strategy of the dispossessed. It has been famously used in history by the Free French during World War II in France and by the Sons of Liberty in America during the Revolution, to give two examples. It is often used when the cause is just. Two years ago, the U.S., with the most powerful military in history (a force that appears now to be driving the nation into bankruptcy), declared war on terrorism. A war on a strategy? This is not logical. John Brinckman, Toronto
Re Surprise, surprise: terror laws, arrests on same day, April 24 Heather Mallick brings together many of the concerns I have about whether we can trust the Harper government and the RCMP. If everything is politicized and the (unspoken) end always justifies the means, then we always have to look for the angle instead of for truth and justice. Your editorial qualifies the arrests, saying, “If the police have it right.” But we can no longer trust the police or the RCMP if they have to produce suspects not on their own timetable but to government order. (Imagine the drive-in window where a senior minister says, “Two terrorists to go, please, and make it snappy.”) How can members of the original Reform party live with this creeping despotism, let alone the rest of us? Martha Gould, North Bay It is not reassuring that parliamentarians or journalists are seeking “root causes” as to why people commit terrorism. The reasons are well known: religious zealotry, extreme nationalism, low self-esteem, intolerance and hatred, perceived vengeance and brainwashing.
Justin Trudeau appears to be reinventing the wheel if he looks for root causes and Heather Mallick seems to prove that you cannot claim an orange to be an apple. This has nothing to do with liberals or conservatives. Terrorism is an attack on society and the reasons are very obvious, and clever people will not be blinded by those looking for philosophers to delve into further reasons to find root causes. Norman Gardner, Toronto
I am a Canadian Muslim and I believe Canada should take precautions to prevent these radical terrorist acts. The antiterror bill will prevent people who think radically from carrying out their plans that could harm many innocent civilians. Each community has its “idiots” and these idiots can be stopped and helped if caught early. We should all work together to prevent these acts and stand together as a community instead of blaming each other. Terrorism has no religion. Ahmed Rehman, Markham
Police arrest two brown-skinned men accused of VIA trainspotting and having evil thoughts, with the help of Iranian Al Qaeda, yet in the same breath admit they have no evidence of foreign links. Not only does this smell of police state tactics, the premise is preposterous. Iran’s Shiite Persians are sworn enemies of Al Qaeda Sunni Arabs. Stephen Harper is stirring up fear in the Homeland, using it to win the next election. Watch as the ultra-patriot Conservative front bench leaps to its feet: “You are either with us or you are with the child pornographers — oh sorry, I mean you’re with the terrorists.” Carl Aboud, Montreal
As a Canadian Muslim student at the Islamic Foundation of Toronto, I am appalled by the tendency of human beings to generalize all Muslims as terrorists and consider us all as a threat. Islam is a religion of peace and mercy; it does not permit terrorism. However if a Muslim chooses to act as a terrorist, that is because of their immorality as a human being; it is not at all because of their religion. Arshia Asad, Scarborough As a Muslim student, I see how open-minded Canadians are becoming in understanding the Muslim point of view. Media outlets such as the Star allow our Muslim community to present our views in an unbiased manner. I thank and appreciate the efforts of your newspaper on behalf of my community for portraying both sides of the story without racism of any kind. I hope everyone understands that the acts done by some members of a community do not reflect the values of our community as a whole. In future, I hope we can all work together and put aside our differences. Sahar Shamsi, Scarborough
Prime Minister Stephen Harper has the gift of ESP. This is evidenced by his rescheduling debate on the Combating Terrorism Act in Parliament to coincide with the RCMP’s arrest of two men. I have ESP, too. Two days ago I joined the
“Watch as the ultra-patriot Conservative front bench leaps to its feet: ‘You are either with us or you are with the child pornographers — oh sorry, I mean you’re with the terrorists.’ ” CARL ABOUD MONTREAL
Canadian Civil Liberties Association. Tanja Akbarali, Mississauga
When Yusuf Badat, of the Islamic Foundation of Toronto, tells us that “Terrorism and these crimes don’t really have a religion,” shouldn’t that be a wake-up call to Justin Trudeau?
It’s comforting to know that at least certain imams in Toronto don’t subscribe to the usual “hug a thug” platitudes being thrown around by those who should know better. Brian Weller, Markham
Is it not strange that immediately after the showdown with the Boston bombers, two things happened in Canada: debate being moved up on new antiterrorism legislation, and the RCMP’s arrest of two people for an alleged bomb plot. The alleged bombers were under RCMP surveillance for about two years and there was no immediate danger. Are we being manipulated? Henry Silver, Toronto
When I was young, I had this profound feeling of security when I was travelling the world. I remember Americans with a Canadian flag on their backpack instead of their own flag telling me that was a good trick to travel in security. But all this has changed. Since Harper’s government came to power, we have been more and more assimilated by the Americans. And now, there are terrorists right here in Canada. It’s no surprise for me, just a logical consequence. Shame on Harper. He is giving me each day new reasons to quit his country. Luc Saint-Hilaire, Québec
I am confused. Two bad guys set off bombs and kill people and the entire city of Boston shuts down until they are in custody. Authorities spend more than $300 million of taxpayer money.
A company breaks laws and their factory becomes a much larger bomb that kills way more people and what happens? Nothing really. An “accident.” Another company has a broken pipeline and evacuates an entire neighbourhood and keeps out media on threat of arrest and is given control of a no-fly zone for an indefinite time.
Is it any wonder people are fed up with governments and “authorities”? Paul H. Beckwith, Ottawa
Obviously some parts of Canada do not get U.S. cable channels, as the CBC had to send a crew to Boston to quadruplicate the service we get 24-7 on U.S. TV. Emanuel D. Samuel, Toronto
Tom Ridge, former head of U.S. Homeland Security, told BBC World news how important it is to find out the root cause of terrorist actions. Harper seems to be out of his depth on anything other than attack ads. Geoffrey Kemp, Mississauga