223) Other People’s Wars: A Review Of Overseas Terrorism In Canada by John C. Thompson & Joe Turlej

Table of Contents

Foreword iv
Chapter 1. On the Nature and Characteristics of Terrorism
The Canadian Contribution 1
The Failure of Definition 3
The Characteristics of Terrorism 6
On Motivation 9
Characteristics of Modern Terrorist Groups 13
Remolding Culture 19
Can we Stand? 23
Chapter 2. Terrorist Groups with a Presence in Canada
Terrorism in Canada’s History 24
Groups in the World Today 26
Sikh Terrorist Groups 34
Sri Lankan Tamils 40
Islamic Fundamentalism 48
Chapter 3: Terrorist Supporters and Politics
On Front Organizations 56
The Art of Networking 58
Cultivating Politicians 66
Chapter 4: Open Money, Open Power
Saps and Sugar Daddies 71
War Taxes and Donation Systems 73
Public Funding for Private Wars 77
Passing the Bucket Again 85
Chapter 5: Terrorism and Crime
A Natural Partnership 87
Narcotics and Terrorism 89
Human Trafficking and People Smuggling 94
Prostitution and War 99
Frauds and Scams 101
Intimidation 106
Robbery and Auto Theft 107
Blackmail and Protection Rackets 108
Chapter Six: Veterans of Other People’s Wars
Someone to Worry About? 110
Soldiers versus Warriors 111
The Unending War 112
Manufacturing Suicide Attackers 114
Street Gangs as a Legacy of Violence 117
Chapter Seven: The Security of the Nation
The Will to Defence 120
International Obligations and Canadian Laws 121
Securing our Borders 125
Assets and Liabilities 128
Appendix: A List of Canadian Terrorists 132 . .

Foreword

“Terrorism in Canada? It can’t happen here.”

This is a commonly held sentiment and a mistake. On the surface, Canada appears to be a peaceful country – provided that one never reads the smaller stories buried in our newspapers or examines the sanguinary aspects of our history. For a country that was conceived, gestated, born and matured because of conflict and warfare, comparatively little political violence occurs here.

Our constitutional document, the British North American Act, pledges itself to the pursuit of “peace, order, and good government.” While no Canadian is ever really prepared to accept our various levels of governments as being good, compared to those of many other peoples, they are. We have built a decent society.

Canada has a long cosmopolitan history and in many ways is still a frontier society. Both of these are traits that encourage immigration and we welcome newcomers – provided that they are prepared to live peaceful, quiet, and mannerly Canadian lives. But things have changed over the last 25 years while we were not paying attention. As we opened our gates wider than ever, tolerance became a public virtue rather than a commonly-held private one, which means that it became rude to publicly express any concerns about some of the people flowing into Canada, and somehow impure to listen to such complaints. All seemed well in the peaceable kingdom, and that was all most of us wanted to know.

We conditioned ourselves too well: Canadian Sikhs started to fall prey to violent terrorists who wanted to change their practices and draw off their prosperity to fuel a war in the Punjab, and most of us barely blinked. Even the 1985 Air India bombing was seen by most Canadians as really having nothing to do with us. A year later, Sri Lankan Tamils started to arrive in numbers, and hardly anyone recognized that this was an entire community under the control of the supporters of a homeland terrorist campaign .

In 1994, Ahmed Ressam was just another refugee claimant with just another fraudulent entry document who came to Canada and dropped out of sight – like thousands of others.

Again, it was nothing to be alarmed about. The extraordinary had become ordinary, and it was rude to draw conclusions. Who knew that he would next come to our attention as an al Qaeda terrorist?

That peaceful, civil, and cosmopolitan society we want has not vanished, nor is it really endangered – provided that we become intolerant about one particular point. We must become absolutely intolerant of those who come here to perpetuate other people’s wars and prey on our citizens who share their background. Our future depends on it.

-- John Thompson

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The Mackenzie Institute

Founded in 1986 to provide research and commentary on matters related to organized violence and political instability, the Institute normally concerns itself with such diverse subjects as terrorism, organized crime, political extremism, warfare and similar matters.

It hopes to provoke informed debate, but does not shy away from controversy.

The Institute derives its funding from contributions by individuals, charitable foundations and other private bodies. It does not accept government funding.

Toronto, Ontario

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Mackenzie Institute Occasional Paper, June 2003

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Other People’s Wars: A Review Of Overseas Terrorism In Canada.pdf

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