DRUG FUELLING TERROR?

COPS MAKE KHAT BUSTS

Militant Somali groups are flooding Pearson and other North American
airports with tonnes of the east African drug khat to fund terror cells at
home, U.S. police say. The RCMP said they made 263 khat busts last year at
Pearson, in which almost $8 million of the bark-like drug was seized from
couriers arriving from Britain.

Sgt. Gary Harvey said five alleged couriers were arrested in airport
seizures this week for trying to smuggle 282 kilos of khat.

"We are concerned the money may be going for terrorist purposes," he said.

Harvey said the Mounties and customs officers made 91 khat seizures this
year, which led to the deportation of about a dozen Brits.

The FBI believe Somalia's largest militant Islamic organization, the
Al-Ittihad al-Islami (AIAI), is behind the khat smuggling.

Canada Customs officers said the drug, which has a shelf-life of about
three days, is smuggled from England, where it is legal.

The drug is distributed through a network of African stores in Toronto,
officers said.