Canada checks Tamil refugee ship over terror fears

Canadian security officials boarded a cargo ship off Vancouver carrying hundreds of Tamil asylum seekers from Sri Lanka.

The government said some of the 490 people on board may be members of the Tamil Tigers — declared a terrorist group by Canada in 2006.

Public safety minister Vic Toews said: "Human smugglers and human traffickers are now watching Canada's response to judge whether or not they can continue to take advantage of us."

Two jails near Vancouver have been told to make room for a flood of new inmates this week.

The MV Sun Sea reportedly approached Australia a few months ago but was either turned away or feared it would not be allowed to dock and sailed towards Canada. The Canadian government is worried more ships are on the way.

Canada is home to about 300,000 Tamils, the largest such population outside Sri Lanka and India, but the government is worried it is getting a reputation of being too accommodating.

Last October a ship carrying 76 Sri Lankan migrants was intercepted in Canadian waters after crossing the Pacific. The group on board the Ocean Lady claimed to be fleeing persecution.

"While our government believes in offering protection to genuine refugees, it is imperative that we prevent supporters and members of a criminal or terrorist organisation from abusing Canada's refugee system," said Toews.

Chitranganee Wagiswara, Sri Lanka's high commissioner to Canada, has said the government should not accept the Tamils' claims for refugee status and said the ship was part of a human smuggling operation linked to the Tamil Tigers, who were finally defeated by the Sri Lankan government last year after a 25-year civil war.