Phoenyx
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Canadian specials forces heading to Middle East
OTTAWA (CP) -- Members of the army's secretive anti-terrorist unit JTF-2 are heading to the Middle East to join the war on terrorism, a high-level source said Wednesday.
A number of soldiers were preparing to fly to an undisclosed location to join special forces troops from other countries to prepare for operations in Afghanistan, the source said.
The source wouldn't say how many Canadians are involved.
The United States already has special forces troops on the ground in Afghanistan, along with marines. Elements of Britain's Special Air Service regiment are also believed to be there.
There was no official confirmation of the deployment from the Defence Department.
JTF-2, or Joint Task Force Two, is an elite unit based at Dwyer Hill, Ont., just outside Ottawa. It was created in the early 1990s when the RCMP gave up its counter-terror role to the army.
The unit is cloaked in secrecy. The military has long refused to say how many soldiers are in it, how much it costs or reveal if it is involved in an operation.
It is said to have about 250 troops and a budget of about $40 million.
Defence Minister Art Eggleton broke his usual silence on the unit recently, announcing that he will now confirm when the unit goes into action and when it returns.
While the initial focus of the unit was domestic hostage-rescue missions, its mandate has been expanded in recent years to include special operations and unconventional warfare.
Would-be members of JTF-2 are required to be in top physical condition and are subject to rigorous physical and mental testing.
The outfit was earmarked for the anti-terror war from the outset as part of Canada's contribution. However, they weren't dispatched immediately, for reasons not made public.
Opposition politicians made much of that, suggesting it was an indication that the Canadian contribution was being spurned by the Americans.
The troops are versed in the kind of extreme, cold-weather, special operations that would be required during Afghanistan's harsh winter.
On a recent visit by Eggleton to Washington to discuss the situation with Donald Rumsfeld, his American counterpart, the defence minister called JFT-2 "a very sharp-edged organization" and "a commando unit."
He said at the time they were ready for Afghanistan.
"They're well prepared to go in and be part of the mission. That is something that's being worked on."
Last month, the Commons defence committee recommended that JTF-2 be expanded to a force of about 1,000, including its own support elements.
Canada now has earmarked about 2,000 personnel to the anti-terror mission.
Four warships are escorting American carrier groups in the Arabian Sea. A Canadian frigate is with NATO in the Mediterranean Sea and another frigate sailed Wednesday to join a NATO flotilla.
The air force is ready to contribute three C-130 Hercules transports. An Airbus transport is already flying supplies to the region from Germany. The government has also offered Aurora surveillance planes.
The army has a battalion of about 1,000 on standby to go to help stabilize post-war Afghanistan.
The soldiers, members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton, were originally placed on 48 hours notice. Most of them now are on seven day's notice, although an advance company is ready to go sooner.
OTTAWA (CP) -- Members of the army's secretive anti-terrorist unit JTF-2 are heading to the Middle East to join the war on terrorism, a high-level source said Wednesday.
A number of soldiers were preparing to fly to an undisclosed location to join special forces troops from other countries to prepare for operations in Afghanistan, the source said.
The source wouldn't say how many Canadians are involved.
The United States already has special forces troops on the ground in Afghanistan, along with marines. Elements of Britain's Special Air Service regiment are also believed to be there.
There was no official confirmation of the deployment from the Defence Department.
JTF-2, or Joint Task Force Two, is an elite unit based at Dwyer Hill, Ont., just outside Ottawa. It was created in the early 1990s when the RCMP gave up its counter-terror role to the army.
The unit is cloaked in secrecy. The military has long refused to say how many soldiers are in it, how much it costs or reveal if it is involved in an operation.
It is said to have about 250 troops and a budget of about $40 million.
Defence Minister Art Eggleton broke his usual silence on the unit recently, announcing that he will now confirm when the unit goes into action and when it returns.
While the initial focus of the unit was domestic hostage-rescue missions, its mandate has been expanded in recent years to include special operations and unconventional warfare.
Would-be members of JTF-2 are required to be in top physical condition and are subject to rigorous physical and mental testing.
The outfit was earmarked for the anti-terror war from the outset as part of Canada's contribution. However, they weren't dispatched immediately, for reasons not made public.
Opposition politicians made much of that, suggesting it was an indication that the Canadian contribution was being spurned by the Americans.
The troops are versed in the kind of extreme, cold-weather, special operations that would be required during Afghanistan's harsh winter.
On a recent visit by Eggleton to Washington to discuss the situation with Donald Rumsfeld, his American counterpart, the defence minister called JFT-2 "a very sharp-edged organization" and "a commando unit."
He said at the time they were ready for Afghanistan.
"They're well prepared to go in and be part of the mission. That is something that's being worked on."
Last month, the Commons defence committee recommended that JTF-2 be expanded to a force of about 1,000, including its own support elements.
Canada now has earmarked about 2,000 personnel to the anti-terror mission.
Four warships are escorting American carrier groups in the Arabian Sea. A Canadian frigate is with NATO in the Mediterranean Sea and another frigate sailed Wednesday to join a NATO flotilla.
The air force is ready to contribute three C-130 Hercules transports. An Airbus transport is already flying supplies to the region from Germany. The government has also offered Aurora surveillance planes.
The army has a battalion of about 1,000 on standby to go to help stabilize post-war Afghanistan.
The soldiers, members of the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in Edmonton, were originally placed on 48 hours notice. Most of them now are on seven day's notice, although an advance company is ready to go sooner.
