A mysterious group has claimed responsibility for an apparent bomb attack on a Hydro-Quebec tower.
In a message received by news media outlets on Monday, IRI -- in French, the Initiative de Resistance Internationaliste (IRI) -- denounced what it describes as the "pillaging" of Quebec's resources by the United States.
"An explosive device was placed under a Hydro-Quebec pylon of the Radisson-Nicolet-Des Cantons power line, near the American border. Through this operation, we are making public our refusal to be silent witnesses to the waste and pillaging of our resources at the hands of the United States empire," said the statement, translated from French by CTV's Montreal bureau.
"We are also acting against Hydro-Quebec's exploitation to the benefit of private enterprises, which profit from each opportunity that imperialism provides."
The group, which sent its communique to al-Jazeera, the Arab satellite TV news network, also dragged Iraq into the equation -- along with Bolivia, Colombia and the Palestinians.
"We refuse to allow all the weight of resistance to fall on the noble Iraqi people, who are being massacred because they were an obstacle to the American energy hegemony, or to the Bolivian peasants courageously mobilizing against the pillage of their gas resources, even risking their lives," the note said.
"We also refuse to let the Colombian and Palestinian people confront the imperial army alone, whether or not it is hidden behind a national banner."
It isn't clear when the attack occurred, although a hunter on an all-terrain vehicle discovered it damage to a hydro tower Nov. 30.
The IRI said authorities hid news of the attack "from the population during the chief dictator's visit" -- possibly a reference to the Nov. 30-Dec. 1 visit to Canada by U.S. President George W. Bush.
If true, one student leader who was involved in anti-Bush protests said the IRI's act of sabotage went too far.
"I think it makes people afraid, and I don't think that was the kind of message we meant to get out when we went to Ottawa," said Tim McSorley of the Canadian Federation of Students.
The incident happened near Coaticook, which is in Quebec's Eastern Townships. A bomb squad was dispatched Friday to the site by the Quebec provincial police.
Test results of materials found near the tower have not been released, so an explosive attack can't be confirmed yet.
Police say they've never heard of the group before this. However, they have seized the original letter sent out to some Quebec media outlets to analyze it. They won't confirm if the details in the group's note are accurate.
A Hydro-Quebec spokeswoman said the tower is part of a line that delivers electricity from James Bay to the Boston area, adding that service wasn't disrupted.
"We are taking that event seriously, and we are increasing security around our strategic installations," said Marie Archambault of Hydro-Quebec.
The ongoing investigation involves the provincial police, Hydro-Quebec and the Canadian counter-terrorism force.
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security and CSIS have also been alerted.
Security analyst Michel Juneau-Katsuya said: "This is an act of sabotage, but we're just a step away from terrorism. And for that reason, the United States will be very interested to see how we respond to it."
With a report from CTV's Jed Kahane
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