Canada Disrupts Terror Cell; Potential Disaster Averted?

A terrorist training camp in Canada was raided, and a total of 17 people were arrested. They're homegrown jihadis, and who knows what kind of mayhem they were looking to spring on an unsuspecting Canadian population? Train bombings were a distinct possibility:

“The RCMP, CSIS and the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team arrested individuals throughout the GTA today in relation to terrorist-related offences,” confirmed RCMP spokesman Corp. Michele Paradis.

As of about 9 p.m. last night, Paradis also added “there are ongoing arrests.”

Though unconfirmed, sources have told the Sun police arrested a possible home-grown al-Qaeda terrorist cell operating in Toronto that had planned to bomb the subway as early as Monday.

Just three days ago, Sun columnist Joe Warmington wrote about two men spotted filming the subway system on May 23 at Keele station, which raised alarm bells with Toronto Police and CSIS.

But sources also tell the Sun that the RCMP “planted” that story with the media, though reasons remain unclear.

Police had been watching several alleged terrorist camps since 2004 — one of which is reported to be in the Muskokas near Bracebridge and another near Thunder Bay, a police source told Warmington late last night.

Seventeen people were arrested, and five were underage. The names of the twelve adults being held:

Arrested and charged with offences under the Criminal Code of Canada are:

1. Fahim Ahmad, 21, of Robinstone Drive, Toronto, Ontario;
2. Zakaria Amara, 20, of Periwinkle Crescent, Mississauga, Ontario;
3. Asad Ansari, 21, of Rosehurst Drive, Mississauga, Ontario;
4. Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, of Lowville Heights, Mississauga, Ontario;
5. Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, of Montevideo Road, Mississauga, Ontario;
6. Mohammed Dirie, 22, Kingston, Ontario;
7. Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, Kingston, Ontario;
8. Jahmaal James, 23, of Trudelle Street, Toronto, Ontario;
9. Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, of Stonehill Court, Toronto, Ontario;
10. Steven Vikash Chand alias Abdul Shakur, 25, of Treverton Drive, Toronto, Ontario;
11. Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, of Robin Drive, Mississauga, Ontario;
12. Saad Khalid, 19, of Eclipse Avenue, Mississauga, Ontario.

Kate at Outside the Beltway has more details, including the fact that they not only had the means, but capabilities to carry out such attacks. Apparently, Internet monitoring helped spur the probe into the conduct of those arrested.

Steve Janke has ongoing coverage, just keep scrolling.

Others blogging: bRight and Early, LGF (just keep scrolling), AJ Strata, Counterterrorism Blog, Confederate Yankee, and Ed Morrissey.