Toronto Sun

Tuesday, October 30, 2001

T.O. hotbed for Osama's cells

Terror probe stunned by activity here

By TOM GODFREY, TORONTO SUN

Canadian authorities say Toronto is a staging ground for al-Qaida terrorist activity and as many as five followers of Osama bin Laden will be charged here in coming weeks.

A police source said authorities were stunned by the large amount of al-Qaida activity -- from fundraising, recruiting and counterfeiting of documents -- that was taking place here.

Dozens of intelligence officers from other forces have been seconded to help the Mounties probe Toronto-based suspects and their possible roles in terrorist activity.

Two refugee claimants -- Nabil Al-Marabh, 35, of Toronto, and Hassan Almrei, 27, of Mississauga -- have already been charged for alleged roles in the Sept. 11 attacks in the U.S.

The Mounties said their list of suspects is growing as they examine a "motherlode" of evidence seized from four Toronto-area addresses following Al-Marabh's arrest in Chicago.

Several of Al-Marabh's phone calls were traced to the Syrian-born Almrei, who was arrested in Toronto this month on a National Security Certificate stating he's a security threat.

Other Al-Marabh calls were traced to suspects at a Woolner Ave. apartment and a Toronto copy shop, police sources said. Police are also looking into financial transactions made by Al-Marabh in the Toronto-area and to suspected al-Qaida members in the United States.

Al-Marabh, who lived in Canada for six years, is described by U.S. police as a bin Laden lieutenant in North America.

CSIS alleged Al-Marabh was a "bureaucratic terrorist" who provided logistical support, funding and other services to the U.S. suicide pilots.

Canadian police have also joined U.S. officers in trying to locate several young men they believe were recruited here by bin Laden supporters and underwent training at his camps in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sudan and Bosnia.

"The Service believes there are supporters of bin Laden and his terrorist network in Canada," CSIS told the federal court. "Almrei is associated with individuals connected to the bin Laden network who have lived, or are living, in Canada."

The spy agency said Almrei has demonstrated a devotion to bin Laden's cause and "has personally established his commitment to these ideals by paticipating in jihad."

CSIS said al-Qaida operatives are dispatched to target countries as sleeper agents, where they work at menial jobs for years, before being activated for terror duty. "Chosen mujahedin establish themselves within target countries where, with close associates, they form cells," CSIS said.

FOUND IN CONTAINER

Meanwhile, Italian and Canadian police are still investigating an Egyptian-born Canadian citizen who was found in a furnished, well-equipped shipping container in Italy.

Amid Farid Rizk, 43, was found inside the container with a global satellite phone, a cellphone, a laptop computer and a slew of documents. He also had a heater and a water supply to survive a planned three-week voyage to Canada.

Police said Rizk, who is suspected of being an al-Qaida member, had been surfing the Internet and exchanging e-mails during his 10-day voyage from Egypt to Italy en route to Toronto.

Italian police are trying to obtain Rizk's e-mail and Internet accounts.

-- Anonymous, October 30, 2001