Toronto, Aug 30: Canadian immigration officials has confirmed the arrest of a 20th person connected to the 19 men arrested as potential threats to national security two weeks ago. "I can confirm a 20th arrest," said Rejean Cantlon yesterday, a spokesman for citizenship and immigration Canada here.
He declined to provide any further details.
An anti-terrorism task force arrested the 18 Pakistanis and one Indian during early morning raids around Toronto on August 14. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has not charged the men with any crime.
A new immigration law passed after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001 allows the men to be detained without charges if there is a reasonable suspicion that they are a "threat to national security."
Federal immigration lawyers have argued this week that the 19 pose a potential threat and should continue to be detained, but immigration review adjudicators found that two of the men could be released. Defence lawyers for the men, who claim their innocence, have said the allegations are vague with no evidence to back them up.
A background document released last week say the men attracted suspicion after trying to find out measurements of major buildings in Canada, seeking to gain access to the grounds of a nuclear power plant and having airplane schematics and gun pictures on the wall. Bureau Report