Daily Times Article: Pakistani Officials Helped Canadian Police Capture Terrorist Suspects In Project Samossa!



Operation ‘samosa’ and the Pakistani connection

By Ali K Chishti

Pakistani intelligence agencies played a crucial role in uncovering a terrorism plot in Canada, which led to the arrest of three suspected terrorists earlier this month.

According to official sources, Pakistani agencies tipped off their Canadian counterparts, who then launched ‘Operation Samosa’, one of the biggest clandestine efforts in the history of Canada.

The operation culminated in the arrest of Misbahuddin Ahmed (26), Hiva Alizadeh (30) and 28-year-old Dr Khurram Sher from Ontario on August 18.

Ahmed and Alizadeh both are from Ontario, while Khurram is a resident of London.

All three of them have now been charged with “conspiracy to knowingly facilitate a terrorist activity”.

Official sources told Daily Times that an intensive investigation is continuing inside Pakistan about the alleged links of at least one of the suspects with terrorist groups in Pakistan and his multiple visits to Pakistan over the years. The ringleader of the terror plot travelled to the area located on the Pak-Afghan border to receive weapons training.

Talking to Daily Times, a Pakistani security official refused to comment on the actual role of Pakistani intelligence agencies, however, he confirmed that, “Pakistani authorities are working closely with the Canadian authorities”.

Khurram, a Canadian of Pakistani descent, travelled to Pakistan during the 2005 earthquake as part of an aide mission. A Western intelligence source confirmed that “it is where he formed ties with al Qaeda and that is exactly why we need to have a better co-ordination with the Pakistani intelligence services”. Another diplomat stated that, “the plot ranged from Canada to Iran, Afghanistan, Dubai and Pakistan and that the terrorists are linked to a group in Afghanistan”. However, he did not elaborate.

It is the second al Qaeda-linked terror plot to be unearthed in Canada. In 2006, 18 Muslims had been arrested from Toronto for plotting to blow up government buildings. Eleven of the plotters were later convicted.

Pakistani intelligence agencies had helped Canadian authorities uncover the plot in 2006.