Fears of terrorist bomb plots ahead of the G8 and G20 summits appear to have been quashed after the investigation of large purchase of ammonium nitrate began to achieve results on Wednesday evening.
“We've received positive information,” said RCMP Inspector Gord Sneddon of the RCMP-led Integrated National Security Enforcement Team when reached by The Globe and Mail Wednesday evening.
He said it would be “premature” to comment on the leads received, but said he expected resolution within hours.
Earlier, Insp. Sneddon held an unusual news conference at Toronto police headquarters to appeal for information about the mystery buyer of nearly a tonne of ammonium-nitrate fertilizer – a potential bomb-making chemical. The buyer was described as 50 to 60 years old with missing fingers on his right hand. He may be of European descent and walked with a slight limp.
The sale happened on the afternoon of May 26 when the man walked into a farm supply store in southwest Ontario. He told staff he was representing a regular customer, paid in cash and loaded the fertilizer onto a rusted flatbed trailer towed by an old red mini-van.
Only after he left did staff discover he wasn't buying it for the regular customer. Federal regulations require vendors to seek the identity of purchasers when they buy ammonium nitrate, which is commonly used as fertilizer.
The ammonium nitrate was purchased in Lincoln, Ont., near St. Catharines. Niagara Regional police were notified on May 31 after the retailer couldn't confirm the identity of the purchaser.
Counterterrorism officers with the RCMP took over the probe into the missing fertilizer on Tuesday.
“At any time, there's a large quantity of ammonium nitrate that's unaccounted for, law enforcement across the country is always interested as to its current whereabouts,” Insp. Sneddon said.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/g8-g20/news/fertilizer-bomb-fears-fade/article1597974/