Jul. 1, 2004. 08:34 AM

Mounties cast wide security net
Data shared with U.S.: Arar probe
Lawyer asks how names get on list


MICHELLE SHEPHARD
STAFF REPORTER

A telephone conversation or casual meeting with someone under 
investigation by officers with the RCMP may be all it takes to 
be entered in a national security database.

And that information, accessible to police officers from 
federal, provincial and municipal forces assigned to investigate
terrorism cases, can also be shared with U.S. agencies, a 
federal inquiry heard yesterday.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Garry Loeppky testified how officers 
with the Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams, 
multi-jurisdictional units created with federal funding after 
the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, are able to share information 
without approval from supervising authorities, but do so only 
after careful consideration.

Unlike the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS), 
however, the RCMP and their partners are only mandated to 
collect evidence for suspects engaged in illegal activity, known
as criminal intelligence, not intelligence on possible suspects 
threatening national security. 

Loeppky was the first RCMP witness to testify at the inquiry 
probing the role Canadian authorities played in the detention of
Canadian Maher Arar in the United States and his subsequent 
deportation to Syria.

While there has never been an official explanation as to how 
Arar came to the attention of Canadian or American authorities, 
it is believed the 34-year-old Ottawa resident was identified 
due to his acquaintance with another Syrian-born Canadian 
citizen under investigation, Abdullah Almalki. 

Yesterday's testimony did not mention Almalki or Arar 
specifically, but commission counsel Paul Cavalluzzo queried how
names are entered into the RCMP's database known as SCIS, the 
Secure Criminal Information System, by using a hypothetical case
with strikingly similar circumstances to those believed to be 
involved with Arar case.

"I'm Jim Jones, periodically you see me with John Smith who is 
the target of the investigation. You got my name in the SCIS. Is
that security intelligence or criminal intelligence," asked 
Cavalluzzo. "It's criminal intelligence information because 
we're investigating the primary target because of a result of 
criminal activities," Loeppky answered.

"But you have nothing on me, Jim Jones. I'm engaged fully in 
lawful activities but happen to see this guy once in awhile," 
Cavalluzzo countered.

"Those situations arise every day in files when unknown persons 
come into the picture, go out of the picture and ultimately are 
never accorded any further attention," Loeppky told the inquiry.