本文发表在 rolia.net 枫下论坛转帖]Grits' failure to outlaw Tamil Tige
Terrorist list: Ex-spy says T.O. MPs fear ban would cost them their seats
Posted by Al Gordon on 2005/03/14
OTTAWA - The federal government's latest argument for keeping the Tamil Tigers off its list of terrorist organizations is a "smokescreen" aimed at protecting political interests, say former officials with Canada's spy agency.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been widely condemned for their use of child soldiers, assassination and suicide bombings in a long-running civil war against Sri Lanka's Sinhalese government.
At hearings before the Senate anti-terrorism committee over the past few weeks, two Cabinet ministers and the current director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service have said Canada is not flagging the group because it does not want to upset the "fragile" peace process overseas.
But former CSIS spy Michel Juneau-Katsuya calls that logic misleading, saying the Tigers have shown little proof they support a peaceful resolution beyond a recent, tenuous ceasefire.
He adds there is no excuse for being soft on a group that the majority of Western countries, including France, the U.K. and the United States agree is a terrorist entity -- and he questions the real motives behind Canada's tolerance.
"I think, unfortunately, what transpired much more out of this entire exercise is that for certain Liberal MPs, the Tamil community is the greater portion of their constituents, and therefore they don't want to lose their seat," he suggests.
Toronto's Tamil community stands at more than 150,000 people, representing the largest group outside of Sri Lanka and an important voting bloc come election time.
It is also a prime target for Tamil Tigers' fundraising, however, even though the group is banned from collecting money here. Members still manage to pocket about $2-million per year through criminal activities and front organizations.
"We know for a fact that the kind of activities [the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] has been practising right here in Canada is definitely in support of terrorist activities in a multitude of ways," says Mr. Juneau-Katsuya, now a security and intelligence consultant in Ottawa.
He isn't alone in his criticism. The former director of strategic planning for CSIS, David Harris, says the government's policy puts the Canadian public and Tamil community at risk. "You're talking, when you're talking affiliates of terrorist organizations, about people who are associates of violence," he says. "Allowing such people into our country has come at a great cost to many otherwise very moderate, well-meaning ethnic Tamils in this country."
He reacts with disdain to the claim that listing the group might disturb the peace process.
"I welcome that argument only to the extent that it demonstrates the continuing capacity for raucous good humour on the part of Cabinet officers," he says. "It's obscene and an insult."
The Tigers "are the granddaddies of suicide terrorism and anti-civilian terror operations," Mr. Harris adds. "There comes a time when we have to, in our own defence, call a spade a spade on this no matter how many votes may be at stake."
The debate over listing will likely resume today as the Senate committee continues its review of Canada's Anti-terrorism Act with two days of hearings involving security experts.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net
Terrorist list: Ex-spy says T.O. MPs fear ban would cost them their seats
Posted by Al Gordon on 2005/03/14
OTTAWA - The federal government's latest argument for keeping the Tamil Tigers off its list of terrorist organizations is a "smokescreen" aimed at protecting political interests, say former officials with Canada's spy agency.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam have been widely condemned for their use of child soldiers, assassination and suicide bombings in a long-running civil war against Sri Lanka's Sinhalese government.
At hearings before the Senate anti-terrorism committee over the past few weeks, two Cabinet ministers and the current director of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service have said Canada is not flagging the group because it does not want to upset the "fragile" peace process overseas.
But former CSIS spy Michel Juneau-Katsuya calls that logic misleading, saying the Tigers have shown little proof they support a peaceful resolution beyond a recent, tenuous ceasefire.
He adds there is no excuse for being soft on a group that the majority of Western countries, including France, the U.K. and the United States agree is a terrorist entity -- and he questions the real motives behind Canada's tolerance.
"I think, unfortunately, what transpired much more out of this entire exercise is that for certain Liberal MPs, the Tamil community is the greater portion of their constituents, and therefore they don't want to lose their seat," he suggests.
Toronto's Tamil community stands at more than 150,000 people, representing the largest group outside of Sri Lanka and an important voting bloc come election time.
It is also a prime target for Tamil Tigers' fundraising, however, even though the group is banned from collecting money here. Members still manage to pocket about $2-million per year through criminal activities and front organizations.
"We know for a fact that the kind of activities [the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam] has been practising right here in Canada is definitely in support of terrorist activities in a multitude of ways," says Mr. Juneau-Katsuya, now a security and intelligence consultant in Ottawa.
He isn't alone in his criticism. The former director of strategic planning for CSIS, David Harris, says the government's policy puts the Canadian public and Tamil community at risk. "You're talking, when you're talking affiliates of terrorist organizations, about people who are associates of violence," he says. "Allowing such people into our country has come at a great cost to many otherwise very moderate, well-meaning ethnic Tamils in this country."
He reacts with disdain to the claim that listing the group might disturb the peace process.
"I welcome that argument only to the extent that it demonstrates the continuing capacity for raucous good humour on the part of Cabinet officers," he says. "It's obscene and an insult."
The Tigers "are the granddaddies of suicide terrorism and anti-civilian terror operations," Mr. Harris adds. "There comes a time when we have to, in our own defence, call a spade a spade on this no matter how many votes may be at stake."
The debate over listing will likely resume today as the Senate committee continues its review of Canada's Anti-terrorism Act with two days of hearings involving security experts.更多精彩文章及讨论，请光临枫下论坛 rolia.net