Canada reassigns warship to fight al Qaeda

Ottawa, 25 March-(ANA)-Canada has cancelled a visit to India for one of its warships and assigned it to counterterrorism operations in the Gulf of Aden because of risks of al Qaeda attacks, an officer on the ship said  Wednesday.

Canadian authorities working with their allies in the area determined that an increased threat from al Qaeda warranted the frigate HMCS Fredericton shifting to counterterrorism duties from originally planned joint exercises with India.

"This was more important, based on the immediate threat," Navy Lieutenant Brian Owens from the Fredericton in the Gulf of Aden area, which is near the mouth of the Red Sea.(ANA)

FA/ANA/25 March 2010-------