…having suckled them and their supporters so long.  There may be a, er, flotilla forming:

More Tamil vessels may be headed for Canada
As the MV Sun Sea approaches the B.C. coast, two more ships of potential asylum seekers are preparing to set sail, terrorism expert says
…
“[Because of] Canada’s response to Ocean Lady last year, the Tamil Tigers decided to dispatch Sun Sea to Canada, and depending on Canadian response to this vessel, the two other ships will arrive,” Dr. Gunaratna said. He added that the two ships are in South Asian waters collecting passengers. “They are in a phase of gathering money from those who will travel,” Dr. Gunaratna said.

Sri Lanka’s high commissioner in Ottawa said she is not aware of any vessels intending to make such a journey. The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade refused to comment, citing operational security.

The MV Sun Sea is reported to be carrying high-ranking members of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, a banned terrorist organization in Canada, although Canadian officials have not speculated on who may be on board.

The ship was sighted off the coast of Guatemala in July and the United States Coast Guard confirmed on July 23 that it was travelling under the Thai flag and heading toward British Columbia.

Although Defence Minister Peter MacKay confirmed last week that Canada has been tracking the ship for some time, there is little that authorities can do to stop it from entering Canadian territorial waters. The RCMP can not detain or board a vessel outside Canadian territorial waters. The navy, which has such powers, can do so only in matters of national security. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews confirmed last week that Canadian authorities have not boarded the MV Sun Sea…

Earlier details from the Washington Post:

…
The MV Sun Sea had been destined for Australia but changed course after its captain determined that Australia’s navy and coast guard would prevent it from landing. Its current destination is believed to be the west coast of Canada, and it is expected to make landfall mid-month.

“We are aware of the vessel and are monitoring its progress,” said Matthew Chandler, a Department of Homeland Security spokesman. “Should an emergency arise, the United States will respond appropriately.”

The passengers are believed to include members of the separatist group the Tamil Tigers as well as women and children. Sri Lankan newspaper reports said the ship had passed through the Straits of Malacca and was monitored by the Thai navy before heading east toward North America…

The Canadian Tamil Congress, which advocates for Tamil rights, said conditions aboard the ship were poor. “We’re not talking the Queen Elizabeth 2 here,” David Poopalapillai, a spokesman for the group, said in a telephone interview from Toronto. “These people are putting their lives at enormous risk, but we fully understand why they are taking this deadly voyage. The situation in Sri Lanka is still not normal. Tamils are still being persecuted.”..

James Clad, former deputy assistant secretary of defense for South and Southeast Asia, said he thought that the boat was part of an attempt by the Tamil Tigers to “create a network again and play the transnational terrorist game [emphasis added].”..

Mark
Ottawa