Canada loses $2-million spy plane in Kabul crash, 2 months after previous one
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In fact, it was used to aid Canadian soldiers as they raided a compound in the Afghan capital Sunday in
search of drug smugglers with possible connections to a terrorist organization.
On Tuesday, Lt.-Col. Don Denne confirmed that evidence was found "linking the compound and those
therein to both drug trafficking and terrorist groups."
However, when pressed, Denne said he couldn't provide further details, citing security concerns.
"We've got certain items of interest including weapons, small amounts of narcotics and cash," he added
without getting specific.
"We don't want anybody out there, and especially a terrorist group, to know what we are interested in,
what we have found."
Sixteen men were detained during the raid. Five of them were brought to Camp Julien where they were
questioned by the Canadian military, while the rest were turned over to Kabul police. The five detained at
the Canadian base were subsequently also handed over to police, although it's unclear whether any charges
have been laid or whether any of the 16 remain in custody.
Canadian military officials had earlier cited intelligence sources who linked at least some of the men to
Gulbuddin Hikmatyar, founder of the radical Muslim terrorist group Hizb-I Islami Gulbuddin (HIG), an
organization with long-established ties to Osama Bin Ladin.
Denne is commanding officer of Camp Julien near Kabul, home to most of the nearly 2,000 Canadian
soldiers working in Afghanistan under the ISAF umbrella.
Terry Pedwell
© The Canadian Press, 2003