Pubdate: Sat, 07 Sep 2002
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://www.fyitoronto.com/torsun.shtml
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Tom Godfrey

HI-TECH PLANE PATROLS BORDER

The U.S. is gearing up to launch hi-tech military reconnaissance Unmanned 
Aerial Vehicles, called drones, to patrol its northern border at night.

The unmanned UAVs, which contain sophisticated infrared photographic 
equipment, are similar to those used by the U.S. Air Force to hunt 
terrorists in Afghanistan.

"It is quite probable a UAV will be used along the northern border," U.S. 
Border Patrol spokesman Mario Villarreal said yesterday from Washington, 
D.C. "It could be used at some point."

Villarreal said the RCMP was involved in a UAV test along the Idaho-British 
Columbia border last month, when arrests were made and 50 kilos of B.C. bud 
marijuana intercepted while being smuggled into the U.S.

He said the test involved the U.S. Forestry Service, U.S. Marines and 
Border Patrol.

"I wouldn't limit that we wouldn't use them on the northern border," 
Villarreal said, adding the drones are used along the Mexican border to 
intercept alien smugglers.

U.S. officials said the drones will travel quietly along the border at high 
altitude relaying digital images to a command centre. If there's suspicious 
activity Border Patrol agents will be dispatched to investigate.

The U.S. already have some of its spy satellites making passes over Lake 
Ontario and other Great Lakes to detect smugglers.

He said since Sept. 11 his agency has been working overtime to install heat 
and motion sensors and banks of hidden cameras to monitor areas near border 
crossings.
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MAP posted-by: Beth