OTTAWA - There is plenty of speculation that charges could be laid against the captain of the MV Sun Sea or the Canadian residents that paid their way, but Canadian police and government officials are keeping quiet about that issue.
Asked about the possibility of charges, Justice Minister Rob Nicholson played coy Wednesday afternoon.
“All aspects of this are being investigated and there’s an ongoing legal process and we should let that legal process continue,” said Nicholson.
“We’re well underway in our investigation,” said RCMP spokesman Michael McLaughlin. “It will be months, not weeks before we pass our files on to the justice department.”
McLaughlin said the investigation into the Ocean Lady, the ship carrying 76 men that arrived last October, is still an open file.
An investigation is one thing but experts say charges are another.
“You could make a case under Canada’s anti-terror laws that the people funding the trip knew the money would be going to the Tamil Tigers,” John Thompson of the Mackenzie Institute told QMI Agency.
“There are intelligence standards of proof and legal standards of proof,” said Thompson, noting that while police may have a strong suspicion in a case, proving it can be difficult.
“Most of the people who would know are not talking.”
