statism watch

CBC News
July 11, 2008

Two websites operated by Hezbollah and Hamas were being hosted by a Canadian internet service provider even though the militant groups are banned from operating in the country, CBC News has learned.

Toronto resident Jonathan Halevi, who monitors websites for Orient Research Group Ltd., discovered that the sites were being hosted in Canada.

Hamas and Hezbollah are designated as terrorist organizations by the Canadian government and are banned from raising money in Canada.

The groups have been responsible for deadly attacks and suicide bombings against Israel in recent years. The organizations also have political wings. Hamas won a majority in the 2006 Palestinian parliamentary elections and Hezbollah has seats in the Lebanese parliament.

“Hamas was designated as a terrorist organization in Canada. Even though it is a terrorist organization, it finds its way to use Canadian infrastructure to publish its website and forum,” Halevi said.

Halevi wrote a letter of complaint to iWeb, the Montreal internet company that owns computer servers that play host to the websites.

The company replied the websites were inoffensive and just “an informational portal such as CBC.ca.”

Halevi said he was shocked by the response.

“That was amazing because there is a big difference between CBC and the Hamas, al-Aqsa TV website. The messages are totally different.”

CBC News translated some of the Arabic section of the Hamas website, a discussion forum.

One post included a list of instructions on how to conceal a bomb in a crowded market. Another posting explained how to make a roadside bomb look like a rock.

The site is also full of anti-Israeli rhetoric, and pages that glorify those who died in suicide attacks as martyrs.

“This is clear target, clear goal of these organizations. And by giving them support — any support — we are helping them to attack us,” Halevi said.

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CBC News
Friday July 11, 2008

Edmonton police officers regularly rounded up women from bars at closing time and took them to a constables’ lounge at police headquarters for “talent nights,” a disciplinary hearing has been told.

The allegations were made in May at the disciplinary hearing of Const. Sebastien Berube. CBC News has obtained transcripts of the hearings, which concluded this week. A ruling is expected by the fall.

Berube faces five disciplinary charges related to a night in the constables’ lounge in 2005. Now on paid leave, he is alleged to have invited three waitresses from a strip club to join him.

The charges include one count of insubordination and four counts of deceit.

The complaint was laid by Sgt. Doug Goss, who was in the lounge that night.

At the hearing, Berube testified he invited a woman he’d met at a West End strip club to the lounge. She brought two friends with her.

Berube testified he took his guest to a room off the lounge. The other two women were left in the lounge.

Treated unfairly, constable believes

This concerned Goss, who was under the impression the women were strippers and could have links to motorcycle gangs.

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