Toronto: Canada on Tuesday blacklisted the Pakistan Taliban as a terrorist organisation. The US had designated the outfit - known as the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) - as a foreign terrorist organisation (FTO) last year. Joining the US on Tuesday, Canada said the TTP is a terrorist outfit under the Criminal code of Canada.
Public Safety Minister Vic Toews said: "Fighting terrorism is one of the most important challenges we face as a nation. The threat is real, persistent, and evolving, and we remain vigilant in confronting it."
"Listing Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, an organization that has claimed responsibility for multiple suicide attacks in Pakistan and the attempted bombing of Times Square in New York City in May 2010, is an essential part of our efforts to combat terrorism and keep our communities safe," the minister said.
In Canada, the TTP is suspected to be behind a plot foiled by the police under "Project Samosa" last August when three Canadian Muslims were arrested with huge quantities of circuit boards to trigger improvised explosive devices, drawings and videos.
Operating mostly from the federally administered tribal area (FATA) of Pakistan, the TTP is targeting Pakistani government for its support to the US-led forces in Afghanistan and drone attacks inside Pakistan.
Tuesday also marked the end of the Canadian mission in Afghanistan. Canada, which joined the US-led Nato forces in 2002, has lost 157 soldiers in the mission.
The TTP joins the Babbar Khalsa, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other militant outfits banned by Canada since 2006.
Comments
0 comment