MPs outraged as border officials defend letting terror suspects slip through 'robust' security system

The Canadian Press / Alexandra Newbould

Officials from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) shockingly defended their "robust" security screening system, despite two terror suspects slipping through the cracks. The CBSA, while admitting concern over the security lapse, insisted their system is up to the task.

"We are concerned these two individuals got through," said Aaron McCrorie, a Vice-President of the CBSA, during testimony before the Commons public safety committee. 

CPC's Larry Brock goes scorched earth on CBSA and CSIS officials at the Public Safety Committee today who have said there were no systemic failures which allowed an ISIS terrorist to become a Canadian citizen after he claimed asylum here.

(Liberal midwit Mark Gerretsen hated… pic.twitter.com/ZBqiI3zvQl

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 28, 2024

Yet, incredibly, McCrorie also defended the agency's screening process, claiming, "We have a very robust system in place."

CPC's Frank Caputo gets security officials to admit that ISIS butcher Ahmed Mostafa Eldidi was refused a visitor visa in 2017.

He claimed asylum at Pearson in 2018, and quickly received a work permit and permanent residency.

Then he became a Canadian citizen in May 2024 and… pic.twitter.com/o0lj9NMDCB

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 28, 2024

The unusual summer sitting of the Commons public safety committee (SECU) comes on the heels of the July 28 arrest of Ahmed Eldidi, 62, and his son, Mostafa, 26, both charged with plotting a terrorist attack in Toronto. 

CPC's Glen Motz asks CBSA and CSIS officials how an ISIS terrorist came to Canada, got permanent residency. then citizenship and was now just arrested plotting to kill Toronto Jews.

Ahmed Mostafa Eldidi was refused a visa in 2017 as a non-legitimate visitor. Yet by 2018, he was… pic.twitter.com/84QUz9GGpK

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 28, 2024

Eldidi Sr., who entered Canada in 2018 on a visitor’s visa, after first being denied the same visa in 2017, and later claimed refugee status, was reportedly granted residency despite apparent red flags. "There is speculation he was brought in under the Syrian refugee program," noted Conservative MP Melissa Lantsman.

CPC's Larry Brock goes after Trudeau's failed Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc for dumping 5 pages of documents 15 minutes before his committee testimony.

(they did the same thing during the Convoy Commission)

The docs are related to the Liberal government naturalizing… pic.twitter.com/5yOgaBbr6p

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 28, 2024

Eldidi Jr., meanwhile, arrived as an Egyptian national on a study permit in 2019 and was also granted refugee status. 

Here's the timeline of Liberal failures in the Toronto ISIS terror plot that would have gone ahead had the French not flagged the father-son maniacs to Canadian police.

In the Summer of 2015, Ahmed Fouad Mostafa Eldidi is seen in an ISIS video hacking apart a crucified… pic.twitter.com/OSIOcoI2AK

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 28, 2024

MPs were left questioning how this father-son duo, after undergoing six supposed security checks, managed to evade detection.

Public Safety Minister Dominic Leblanc told the SECU committee today that "the system worked the way it should" under his watch.

An ISIS butcher was allowed in, given asylum, granted citizenship, and planned a terror attack in Toronto. The French tipped Cdn officials off to the… pic.twitter.com/2L3K4wk6jb

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 28, 2024

"You really believed the system worked as it should?" demanded Lantsman. "Of course you missed something. These guys were just arrested!" 

CBSA's Aaron McCrorie tells CPC's Melissa Lantsman, "I'm not sure there are any failures" and denies missing something regarding the admission of an ISIS terrorist into Canada who then received his Canadian citizenship.

If this is a success, I'd hate to see failures from these… pic.twitter.com/u2DYVx6W9C

— Sheila Gunn Reid (@SheilaGunnReid) August 28, 2024

The question remains: How many more could slip through this so-called "robust" system? Canadians deserve better.