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“Human smugglers and human traffickers are now watching Canada’s response to judge whether or not they can continue to take advantage of us,” said Mr. Toews. “We will send a message loud and clear to other criminals: ‘If you do this, then you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.’”

The MV Sun Sea — a 59-metre Thai cargo ship which Canada has been monitoring for several months and which may be carrying Tamil Tiger terrorists — was being escorted to port near Victoria by the Canadian Navy vessels HMCS Winnipeg and HMCS Whitehorse.

When the cargo ship makes landfall, it’s expected the passengers will be processed by Citizenship and Immigration Canada officials before being taken to two Vancouver-area jails to be housed.

The high commissioner of Sri Lanka said the ship is a human-smuggling operation that is linked to the Tamil Tigers, and that the captain of the ship, a man named “Vinod,” is a known member of the terrorist group.

“The captain has been a sea Tiger and a smuggler, who was involved in [arms] procurement,” said Chitranganee Wagiswara, the high commissioner, in Ottawa.

Ms. Wagiswara, whose job is to maintain government relations between Canada and Sri Lanka, said she knows there are terrorists aboard the ship because of “intelligence.”

She said the government should turn the ship away, even though other groups have said it contains refugees who are fleeing persecution.