Ottawa, January 13: Canada has put its airliners and airports on high alert, following alleged reports that “terrorists” were trying to get into the country to infiltrate the US.
“There’s specific information that certainly causes me concern, causes our security officials concern, and I think we need to maintain heightened vigilance in this time,” Transport Minister John Baird told reporters on Tuesday.
The move comes after the broadcaster CTV, citing “British and US intelligence reports,” suggested that 20 Yemeni-trained “terrorists” were trying to get into Canada in order to cross into the United States and carry out terror attacks there.
Canadian intelligence officials reportedly claimed to have other evidence that another group was also trying to enter Canada.
According to the CTV, neither group planned to target Canada but intended to use the country to stage attacks on its southern neighbor.
The warnings forced Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper to hold an urgent meeting with his national security advisers overnight.
Baird, however, said that the “medium level” threats did not point to an imminent attack.
But Canadian airlines and airports were asked to remain on alert and stick to tough new passenger screening rules targeting mainly Muslim travelers.
The new rules were adopted after a failed attack on a Detroit-bound US airliner on Christmas Day by a Nigerian Engineering student in the UK, allegedly trained in Yemen.
——-Agencies