Toronto, Canada – Disturbing “chatter” picked up by intelligence agencies about attacks against Jewish targets by Canadian-linked supporters of Hezbollah has prompted an alert to Canada’s Jewish community urging added caution.
Anti-terrorism officials, however, are officially downplaying the startling report.
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The report from ABC News said that “Suspected Hezbollah operatives have conducted recent surveillance on the Israeli embassy in Ottawa, Canada, and on several synagogues in Toronto, according to the officials,” said the ABC report.
The report also said one of the cells is known as “Rashedan” and that members have been told to send their family members home to Lebanon.
When asked on about the Hezbollah threats, Public Safety Minister Stockwell Day confirmed that Canadian authorities were keeping an eye on the organization, “It’s something that’s watched,” Day said.
Jamie Jagoe, one of the federal police force’s top national security officers in Ontario, took issue with details of ABC’s report. “At the present time, there is no known specific threat to any specific location in the city of Toronto or anything like that. We have many ongoing investigations involving listed terrorist organizations. I can’t get into specifics, but I can say we have lots of ongoing investigations.”
Bernie Farber, chief executive of the Canadian Jewish Congress, said an alert was being sent to Jewish cultural institutions and synagogues. “We will ensure that everyone is aware and remind everyone that you never let your guard down because we, as a community, just can’t do that,” Farber said.
“We will ensure that everyone is aware and remind everyone that you never let your guard down because we, as a community, just can’t do that.”
Yeah, that’s definitely the solution, Bernie. Not Teshuvah and Ma’asim Tovim. Who needs that stuff?
Thanks Bernie for your guidance in this matter.
Even in the days when there was all teshuvah an maasim tovim there still was an army and we kept our guard up read tenach you will see
Every time I see a suspicious looking Arab/Pakistani/Muslim/shadylookingcharacter lurking around a shul or Jewish institution, I IMMEDIATELY CALL THE POLICE AND WRITE LICENCE NUMBERS DOWN!!!
PLEASE DO THE SAME!!
Stay alert. Be aware of what’s going on around you. Above all, don’t be a coward. Report ANYTHING that seems strange or suspicious, no matter how small.
While I agree that we should always be on the alert, it seems to me that some people have no sense of balance. From so much of what I read, and the reactions I see, it makes me wonder if we are being encouraged to be suspicious of every person who is not Jewish, or who happens to be Muslim. Should we not be friendly towards Muslim people, most of whom do not, in any way, shape or form, support what the rabid fundamentalist are preaching? Should we condemn them all for the actions of others? Should we, as Jews, not be even more aware of what this kind of group condemnation can result in?
Yes, be careful, but not fanatical.