Some were quick to blame terrorism, and Canada, after fatal Rainbow Bridge border explosion
Posted November 23, 2023 12:22 pm.
While a vehicle explosion at a busy border crossing on the eve of U.S. Thanksgiving was enough to stir suspicion in even the most temperate types, some were notably quick to jump to conclusions that terror, and even Canada, were to blame.
U.S. Representative Mike Kelly not only rashly concluded that it was indeed a terror attack, but also that the ‘terrorists’ entered the U.S. through Canada.
It was later confirmed that the driver of the ill-fated vehicle was from Western New York and was instead apparently trying to enter Canada from the U.S. when for reasons still unknown he raced to a fiery death, taking his passenger with him.
No evidence of explosives were found at the scene after an FBI probe, and New York State Governor, Kathy Hochul, said “there is no sign of terrorist activity with respect to this crash.”
But Kelly was among a trove of Republican politicians who weighed in on the event before those findings were made public, with many using it as an attempt to critique what they consider U.S. President Joe Biden’s soft take on border security issues.
“For months, I’ve warned about the surge of suspected terrorists entering through our Northern border,” Kelly posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
“We must greatly enhance border security at ALL of our borders, including the North.
Senator Ted Cruz definitively declared that “this confirms our worst fear: the explosion at Rainbow Bridge was a terrorist attack.”
Arizona Rep. Andy Biggs wasn’t shy about politicizing the fatal crash.
“Our borders are under attack and the Biden Administration continues to sit on its hands,” he wrote.
Haworth later deleted his tweet and owned up to being part of spreading misinformation after learning that no evidence of a terror attack was found.
Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre spoke about the incident in the House of Commons when he asked Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for an update.
“We’ve just heard media reports of a terrorist attack, an explosion at the Niagara crossing of the Canada-U.S. border …. it is the principal responsibility of government to protect the people, can the Prime Minister give us an update on what he knows and what action plan he will immediately implement to bring home security for our people?”
Trudeau responded that he had been briefed and that there were still “a lot of questions” surrounding the incident, before excusing himself to deal with the issue.
