Highlights
– Suspected terrorists reportedly cased Israeli embassy and Toronto synagogues
– Report claims top Hezbollah weapons expert located south of Toronto
– Canada remains an important resource for Hezbollah recruitment and funding
– If allegations prove to be authentic, near-term attack is improbable as cells are likely to forestall preparations
In a June 19, 2008 ABC News report, unnamed intelligence officials warned that four sleeper cells of the Lebanon based terrorist group, Hezbollah, have been recently activated in Canada. According to the report, North American intelligence agencies have detected chatter by 20 alleged operatives as they discussed possible attacks against Jewish targets outside the Middle East. The report states that the suspected operatives have conducted surveillance on the Israeli embassy in Ottawa, along with several synagogues in Toronto, and have been ordered to send their families back to Lebanon. Additionally, the report warns that a well-known Hezbollah weapons expert was recently spotted outside a shooting range just south of Toronto.
Since February 12, 2008, when a bomb blast in Damascus, Syria killed Imad Mughniyeh, one of Hezbollah’s top commanders, Israel ordered its embassies on high alert. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also called for state and local law enforcement to watch for retaliatory strikes against Israeli and Jewish targets. Following Mughniyeh’s death, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah blamed Israel and highlighted that Israel struck outside the “natural field of battle”, in other words outside of Lebanon’s borders. A potential attack in Canada would follow Nasrallah’s warning “Let it be an open war”, which likely indicates Hezbollah would avenge the assassination by attacking Israeli and Jewish targets outside the Middle East (Previous Report).
Additionally, if one of Hezbollah’s top weapons experts was in fact spotted in Canada, there is a greater probability that Hezbollah senior leadership is actively involved in the planning, and perhaps, the orchestration of any future attack. However, the report’s release will raise the alert level for Jewish and Israeli institutions and could forestall the alleged cells from continuing preparations. As a result, it is now likely that an attack on Israeli or Jewish organizations in Canada is not likely to occur in the near-term.
Fundraising in Canada
In 2002, Canada labeled Hezbollah as a banned terrorist organization. Despite the ban, officials claim Hezbollah still holds a significant presence in the country.
• According to a 2003 US Library of Congress report, Hezbollah continues to recruit potential members and conduct fundraising schemes under the appearance of charity drives for schools, hospitals and other social services (Source).
• According to the ABC News report, Toronto continues to be an important source for Hezbollah fundraising and organizing activities.
Additionally, anti-terror investigations have found Hezbollah members and sympathizers operating in Canada.
• In 2004, a Lebanese Canadian and manager for a Montreal shipping company was arrested for attempting to provide material support to Hezbollah by plotting to ship night-vision goggles, infrared aiming devices, and other night vision equipment (Source).
• An investigation into a Hezbollah North American network found that two Canadians had allegedly received money from Hezbollah and conducted credit card and bank fraud schemes to purchase military items for the terrorist group (Source).
Sustained Presence a Concern For Authorities
Although an attack by a Hezbollah cell in Canada is not likely for the near-term, Canada’s lax immigration policies and Hezbollah’s sustained social and fundraising presence in the country will be a concern for Canadian intelligence and law enforcement in the long-term.
Additionally, the FBI and DHS claim there is no credible information of a Hezbollah attack on US targets or on American soil. However, a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report highlighted significant security vulnerabilities that remain for the northern US-Canada border. If these vulnerabilities continue, a sustained Hezbollah presence within Canada will also represent a long-term concern for the US.
As Hezbollah has vowed to avenge Mughniyeh’s death, the terrorist group will likely seek to perpetrate an attack on an Israeli or Jewish institution outside the Middle East in the mid to long-term.
