Prime Minister Stephen Harper bluntly declared Wednesday's deadly shootings in the Canadian capital of Ottawa to be a terrorist attack and vowed that "we will not be intimated."
Canadian and U.S. investigators stressed that they still hadn't determined a motive in Wednesday's shootings, which left reserve Cpl. Nathan Cirillo of Hamilton, Ontario, dead and sent lawmakers scrambling for cover as up to 50 shots rang out in the halls of Parliament while police and security officers exchanged fire with the gunman.
But Harper had no doubt, saying in a nationally televised address Wednesday night that "we will learn more about the terrorist and any accomplices he may have had." The attack, he said, was proof that "Canada is not immune to the types of terrorist attacks that we have seen elsewhere around the world."
"But let there be no misunderstanding: We will not be intimated — Canada will never be intimidated," Harper said. "In fact, this will lead us to strengthen our resolve and redouble our efforts, and those of our national security agencies, to take all necessary steps to identify and counter threats and keep Canada safe here at home."
For terrorist organizations "who brutalize those in other countries with the hope of bringing their savagery to our shores," he had this message: "They will have no safe haven."
IN-DEPTH
— M. Alex Johnson
