Canadian police arrest two suspects in alleged bomb plot
Canadian authorities have arrested two Al Qaeda-linked men who were allegedly plotting to bomb trains outside the Toronto area.
Canadian police arrested several suspects Monday after an alleged terrorist bombing plot.
Authorities apprehended what they called an Al Qaeda-supported attack on a busy route of Canada's national railway system, VIA Rail.
Police said that the two men arrested, Chiheb Esseghaier, 30, and Raed Jaser, 35, were receiving support from "Al Qaeda elements in Iran."
Al Qaeda, a Sunni terrorist group, has not been linked to Iran in past attacks, a majority Shiite country.
Canadian media said that at least one suspect may be a Tunisian-born engineer and former doctoral student in Quebec.
Police would not officially confirm their nationalities but said they are not Canadian citizens.
CBC News broke the story, saying that sources told the news agency that the suspects had been under surveillance for a year.
The alleged target was in in the Greater Toronto Area, Canada's largest city.
Arrests were made by local police in both Quebec and Ontario, along with Canadian anti-terrorism units.
The suspects were picked up by a joint investigation involving Canadian and US intelligence agencies.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Canada's internal security agency, is expected to deliver a press conference on the arrests later on Monday.
Canada has not seen a major foreign terrorist incident.
In 2006, 18 people were arrested in Toronto for plotting bomb attacks and for the assassination of the Prime Minister.
Eleven of the 18 were convicted for plotting to commit terrorism and murder.