Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Canada is a highway for terrorists, not!!!!!
Go stuff yourself you annoying spin toad!!! Canada sucks at defending its half of North America from terrorists. I think not (May be a decade ago this was true-- cough "Air India" cough) but not now (Cough border closings cough).
Jax
OTTAWA (CP) - While some Americans have suggested that Canada is a superhighway for terrorists bound for their country, the head of Interpol, himself an American, says no.
Ronald Noble, secretary general of the international criminal police body, said Canada works hard in the fight against terrorism.
"I am a citizen of the United States and I say that, with all due respect to my country, my country sometimes gets it half right," he said.
"If it's been said that Canada is a superhighway, I would say they got it half right: Canada is super, but it's not a highway."
Noble, a former law professor at New York University and one-time chief law enforcement officer for the U.S. Treasury Department, was making his first visit to Canada since taking office four years ago.
He said Interpol is making a major effort to improve communications among the world's police forces and to promote information-sharing.
The 182-country body now has a fledgling DNA database, with more than 14,000 entries. It began with only 73 DNA profiles two years ago.
He said the database poses no threat to privacy because there are no names attached. But it allows police in one country to determine if a DNA sample from their crime scene matches that of a crime in another country, allowing the two countries to pool their information to pursue the suspect.
Noble said Canada has played a key role in helping promote co-operative policing.
"Canada contributes in every way one could hope in terms of sharing information," he said.
He said Interpol has set its priorities in crime-fighting: terrorism, financial and high-tech crime, trafficking and sexual exploitation of women and children and drugs and organized criminals.
Co-operation is the best defence, he said, and Canada is showing the way.
"I believe that every country in the world has a responsibility to do all it can to keep its citizens safe, its neighbour's citizens safe and the world community safe," he said.
"As secretary-general of Interpol, whatever you call the highest category of support and participation we have, Canada is in that category."
Noble said Interpol acts as a clearinghouse for information and a support service for member police forces. It has no armed agents of its own, issues no warrants of its own and depends on member countries for technical and manpower support.
RCMP Commissioner Giuliano Zaccardelli, a supporter of Interpol who squired Noble around Ottawa during his visit, said he's a major believer in working with other police.
That's what helps keep the Canada-U.S. border as secure as it can be.
"Can we guarantee a 100 per cent? Nobody can.
"But I tell you we work extremely hard and work extremely well in a very integrated and co-ordinated fashion on the Canada side and in an integrated and seamless way with our American partners."
