This is an update of the story the other day from Canada. It appears that Canadian authorities believe at least one of the 76 would-be asylum seekers who arrived in British Columbia is a member of the outlawed Tamil Tigers. From AFP:
OTTAWA — One of 76 migrants arrested on a rusted ship off Canada’s Pacific Coast is wanted in Sri Lanka on terror charges, a source close to the investigation said Thursday.
The 26-year-old man, whose identity was withheld due to a court-ordered publication ban, is being sought by Sri Lankan authorities who issued an Interpol notice for an unspecified terror offense.
The source told AFP he is suspected of being involved with the Tamil Tigers, a separatist group outlawed by Canada for using suicide bombings in their struggle for Tamil independence from Sri Lanka.
“Individuals who are found to have terrorism or organized crime links are ineligible to make asylum claims in Canada,” said Alykhan Velshi, spokesman for Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney.
“Our government will be arguing in court or at asylum hearings that any individual who has links to terrorism or organized crime… should be deported.”
Now get this! Apparently it’s out-of-bounds when trying to identify illegal aliens to ask their country of origin for help. Oh brother!
The opposition Liberals meanwhile criticized federal authorities for seeking help from Sri Lankan authorities in establishing the identities of the migrants.
The 76 men were detained by federal police on Friday, after the Canadian navy seized the mysterious “Ocean Lady” freighter off Canada’s west coast.