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US to work with Canada to prevent terrorist attacks — Kerry

In the past week, the world has been witness to Canada's strength, United States Secretary of State John Kerry said
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird EPA/COLE BURSTON
US Secretary of State John Kerry and Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird
© EPA/COLE BURSTON

OTTAWA, October 28. /TASS/. The US and Canada will work more closely at all levels in order to prevent terrorist attacks and face threats together. This was announced by the United States Secretary of State John Kerry following a meeting with Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird in Ottawa.

"President Obama, the State Department and our entire administration pledge to work even more closely with your leaders at every level in order to deter and prevent terrorist attacks," Kerry said. "Great nations, like great individuals, are those who are made stronger by the hardest tests of life. In the past week, the world has been witness to Canada's strength. To your unity, your courage, your resolve," Kerry said in Ottawa.

According to Baird, what the Islamic attack on the Canadian soldiers did was only strengthen the Canadian government’s determination in its resolve to fight against Islamic state (IS) militants alongside the United States.

"These attacks only make us and our resolve stronger to do our part in the global fight against terrorism. Canada is a part of an international US-led coalition helping Iraqi and Kurdish forces to fend off a brutal advance of the terrorist army that is ISIL," the press office quoted him as saying.

"We cannot allow there to be a safe haven for this medieval savagery or a launch pad for attacks on our home soil," Baird added. The foreign minister also noted that Canada will continue to provide humanitarian assistance to all people who suffered from IS terrorists.

Incidents with Canadian military officers

On Monday, October 20, 25-year-old Canadian citizen Martin Rouleau injured two soldiers in a hit and run in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu (province of Quebec). Later, one of them – 53-year-old Warrant Officer Patrice Vincent – died in a hospital. Rouleau was known as radical Islamist. On Wednesday Michael Zehaf-Bibeau, armed Islamist with a rifle, who was also Canadian citizen, opened fire at the National War Memorial on the soldiers who were carrying out ceremonial guard duty in Ottawa. One of them – 24-year-old Corporal Nathan Cirillo – was fatally shot.