TERRORISM AND ARAB WORLD

127

TERRORISM AND ARAB WORLD. Cont'd.

List of top terrorists wanted by the US

Ashcroft named several "especially attractive targets'' for terrorists, including next month's G-8 summit in Savannah, Ga., and two national party conventions this summer in Boston and New York City, leading to the Nov. 2 election. However, he said officials "are not aware of details of a plan.'' The two Canadian men have been on the FBI's watch list for some time but FBI Director Robert Mueller said for the first time Wednesday one of them is believed to have discussed hijacking a plane in Canada and flying it into a U.S. building. Last September, U.S. authorities issued a security advisory about potential hijackings of planes originating in Canada or Mexico but gave no specifics. Mueller named Amer El-Maati, 31, who was born in Kuwait but is a Canadian citizen. The other man, Aberraouf Jdey, 38, was born in Tunisia and is a former Montrealer who became a Canadian citizen in 1995. He appears in a "martyrdom'' video seized in Afghanistan at the home of accused terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden's military chief. Jdey's image was first widely circulated by U.S. officials in January 2002. He is thought to have left Canada for good in November 2001, just a few months after obtaining a replacement passport. He told authorities in Montreal the passport issued to him in 1999 was lost. Asked if a terrorism plot is being hatched in Canada, Ashcroft said there's "no specific information about the origin of a specific terrorist plan.'' Prime Minister Paul Martin said there "is no threat to Canada'' from the seven terror suspects being sought by the United States. Martin said he's watching very closely as U.S. officials hunt for them but based on the intelligence collected so far, there is no need at this time to increase security at Canada's airports. Martin emphasized the potential attacks don't appear to be aimed at Canada. And he said Canadians should have confidence the government is doing everything it can to ensure there isn't an attack in Canada. Martin made his comments aboard his election campaign jet, while flying from Montreal to Winnipeg. Deputy Prime Minister Anne McLellan said in Edmonton she talked with Ashcroft on Wednesday about potential dangers. "There is no indication of any specific, imminent threat to Canada and we have no information that suggests that these two individuals are in Canada,'' she said. "There has been, clearly, increased activity or chatter in relation to activities that have led all of us to increase the level of vigilance in Canada and, clearly the United States.'' McLellan would not comment on word El-Maati may have been planning to hijack a plane in Canada but said there is no reason to believe there is a Canadian terrorist cell. "There are people of interest in this country and those people will continue to be under surveillance,'' said McLellan, who didn't reveal any specific new security measures. "It will be important for all of us to be on the lookout for anything that's suspicious.'' El-Maati's father, Badr, told CTV News he hasn't seen his son in 20 years, but said his son is a peaceful man. "He was working for refugees, for the orphans of the war,'' the father said without explaining which war. Ahmed Ressam was arrested at the U.S. border in 1999 after driving off a ferry from Victoria in a car packed with explosives in a plot to bomb Los Angeles Airport. The FBI, which has established a 2004 threat task force, doesn't know "what form the threat may take and that is why it is so important that we locate the seven individuals,'' said Mueller. "While we do not have any reason at this time to believe that they are working in concert, we will not take any chances.'' "Extraordinary precautions'' are being taken in U.S. cities where big events are being held, he said, but officials have not increased the national threat level used to rate the risk of terrorism. Ashcroft dismissed suggestions he is scaring people unnecessarily since he has no details of a plot, saying Americans need to be reminded and can help by reporting any suspicous activity that could force terrorists to change their plans. "I don't think my job is to worry about what sceptics say. My job is to do everything I can to protect the American people,'' he said. "The American people can help us reduce the risk by participating in an aggressive approach to disruption.'' Recent intelligence suggests al-Qaida operatives may be travelling with their families to attract less suspicion and the terror network is seeking recruits ``who can portray themselves as European,'' said Ashcroft. The "ideal al-Qaida operative'' is someone in their late 20s or early 30s, he said. The change of government in Spain and withdrawal of Spanish troops from Iraq after the March 11 train bombings in Madrid may lead terrorists to think they can influence U.S. politics, said Ashcroft. He noted an al-Qaida spokesman said then the organization's plans for an attack in the United States were 90-per-cent complete. "Al-Qaida may perceive that a large-scale attack in the United States this summer or fall could lead to similar consequences.'' -Beth Gorhan.

End of the article.