Madrid suspects may flee to Canada

[BEER980]

Madrid suspects may flee to Canada
By TOM GODFREY - TORONTO SUN

Canadian border lookouts have been issued for five suspected terrorists sought in the bombing of four trains in Spain that killed 191 people, police say. European police are concerned the men may try to seek refuge in Canada to escape a global manhunt, national security officers said.

Officers suspect the men may travel to Canada by using fake documents and file refugee claims. It is believed some of the men have family members here. Border alerts have been issued for Said Berraj, 31, Oulad Akcha Mohamed, 28, and his brother, Rachid, 26, of Morocco, and Mohamed Bahaiah, 41, and Mustafa Setmarian Nasar, 45, of Syria.

Three others sought by police, including the cell's ringleader, killed themselves last Saturday in a Madrid bomb blast as officers surrounded a building. Canadian and U.S. police said the names of the men are also red-flagged for checks on airline passenger manifests should they board flights for North America.

Bill Tu of the Canadian Border Services Agency said he couldn't comment on the alerts due to security concerns. "We work closely with law enforcement agencies worldwide," Tu said yesterday. "Action will be taken if they come to our attention."

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