Rainbow Bridge

Niagara safe from terrorists but Muslims still feel sting of stereotype

By: Mike Kwiatkowski

Posted: 6/20/06

With the recent terrorism arrests made in Ontario for individuals planning to build bombs and attack strategic locations in Canada both the country and its neighbour down south are on high alert.
In the Niagara region, roughly an hour south of where the arrests took place, tensions were high as the area is located close to both Toronto and the bridges that cross the Niagara River into the U.S.
Niagara Regional Police Chief Donna Moody eventually received information from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service addressing this concern and issued a statement in a press release on June 7.
"Neither the Town of Fort Erie nor any other location in the Regional Municipality of Niagara was the site of terrorist training nor the site of alleged planned terrorist plots. Any report to the contrary is considered to be erroneous," said Moody.
The investigation that led to the arrests detailed a link between arrests that happened in the U.S. involving a group of terrorists that met with their Canadian counter-parts across the border.
This development of a possible international link to the Canadian terrorist arrests brings into question how secure the Canadian and American border currently are.
"If we do receive any information that there may be a threat to national security or that some spinoff associates may attempt to cross the border we can immediately [reinforce our efforts]," said Kevin Corsaro of U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Corsaro said that U.S. Customs and Border Protection is at a heightened state of alert and has been ever since the attacks on September 11, 2001.
"Shutting down the border would be very drastic but if we do receive information that there is something that may happen locally we may increase our enforcement, which could include more [car and truck checks], whatever we deem necessary to ensure the safety of this country," said Corsaro.
On the Canadian side of the border Jean D'Amblio Swyer, the Communications Officer for Canada Border Services Agency, echoed Corsaro's statements with the Canadians also being at a heightened state of alert but she also promotes people to continue to travel across the border.
"As far as Canada Border Services agency we have had an increased presence since September 11, 2001 but we do not have any additional measures in place because of the recent [arrests]," said D'Amblio Swyer. "The border is open and people should plan their activities accordingly and there is no reason why they should not cross the border."
The recent arrests and monitoring has put the spotlight back once again on the people of the Muslim faith and Forhan Khan, leader of the Brock University Muslim Student Association wishes to dispel the negative notions about Muslims.
"We have to understand that a small number can never represent 1.4 billion Muslims of this world. We should also question that: are these people really acting upon Islam and are they practising Muslims?" said Khan, adding, "It is sad but it is true that out of 1.4 billion Muslims in the world not even 20 per cent practise Islam properly."
"We also have to ask why these young 'Muslim' Canadian wants to kill innocent people. What is the motive behind it? Is it because they hate the west? If so, why? Is it because Canadian troops are sent to Afghanistan where innocent Muslims are being killed?" said Khan.
Khan felt that at this time the media are responsible for the negative portrayal of Muslims however he remains optimistic and believes that when people actually start asking people who practise the faith about what being a Muslim means the negative notions will disappear.
"As a Muslim leader my focus was always to teach or show both Muslim and non-Muslim the true picture and teaching of Islam. I found people in Canada are very understanding. According to me it is the media that is to be blamed for creating anti-Muslim sentiments on people," said Khan.
"People should start thinking openly rather than swallow everything the media shows. If we say that all Muslims are terrorists then Muhammad Ali, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Zinedine Zidane, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, all these sports stars, are terrorist as well," said Khan.