WASHINGTON, 23 November 2004 — As preparations begin for President George Bush’s visit to America’s northern neighbor next week, newspapers there are reporting that incoming Saudis are being targeted in heightened security checks.

Bush met Prime Minister Paul Martin during the Asia-Pacific summit on Saturday in Santiago, Chile, to lay the groundwork for the president’s two-day visit that starts Nov. 30.

Bush said he is looking forward to his first official visit to a “great country” — Canada, while incoming reports say security there is tight and getting tighter.

Canada’s Sun newspaper reported yesterday that: “Canadian police have thrown a blanket of security around major airports as they prepare for next week’s two-day visit of US President George Bush. Customs and immigration officers at Pearson airport said they were ordered in a memo to send for secondary checks all citizens of Saudi Arabians entering the country.”

Airport sources said the confidential alert originated from the US Secret Service, and was issued last Wednesday as police from both countries began conducting background work leading to the touchdown of Air Force 1 in Ottawa next Tuesday.

Bush will leave Canada on Dec. 1.

The bulletin allegedly ordered officers to “refer all holders of Saudi passports for further inspection.”

“Officers are to conduct progressive and thorough examinations to establish subject identification, bona fide of their trip and admissibility,” the alert said.

It advises officers to conduct mandatory background checks on the Saudis by using Canadian and US police databases.

“This is a precautionary measure,” one officer told the Sun. “No detail is being left to chance for the visit.” He said he did not know if any Saudis had been detained since this alert came into effect.

Patrizia Giolti, of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), told the Sun she wasn’t aware of the alert and wouldn’t be able to comment for security reasons.

Giolti said her officers regularly work with police and law enforcement agencies worldwide. She dismissed allegations by some airport workers that the CBSA is using race to profile Saudis. “We do not profile travelers by race,” Giolti said. “(Our) officers use ‘indicators of deception.’”