Border choppers to be fully armed

TORONTO, Ont. (Dec. 6, 2001) — U.S. military helicopters that will be patrolling the skies over the 6,000-km, U.S.-Canadian border will be fully armed and will be able to see inside trucks and cars with heat-seeking detectors and infra-red cameras, the Toronto Sun newspaper has reported.

The report quoted U.S. Customs authorities who confirmed such a plan, but would not disclose when or exactly where the choppers, which are similar to some being used in Afghanistan, will be deployed.

The U.S. announced earlier this week that it would instill a military presence along the border in the form of helicopters and 400 National Guard troops, which are being deployed to 43 land, sea, and air ports of entry in 12 states.

The heightened military security comes after several weeks of criticisms and accusations by U.S. officials that members of terrorist organizations have been slipping into the U.S. through Canada. One example often cited is Toronto resident Nabil Al-Marabh, accused of being part of the al-Qaida terrorist network, and who was caught in June trying to cross into the U.S. by hiding in the back of a truck.