10,000 agents in secret Chinese sleeper cells ready for war worldwide: French Intell Report Says

China has deployed sleeper cells of agents and special operations commandos in Canada who would be activated for military and covert action missions against the United States in future conflict.

The Paris-based Intelligence Online reported October 1 that the Unit 8189 would not be viewed during the Tiananmen parade marking China’s 60th anniversary because the unit is secret.

“Unit 8189 (jiefangjun bayibaijiu fengiandu) is the most secretive organization in the People’s Liberation Army,” the report said.

“If a conflict arises, its ‘strategic commandos’ are trained to carry out sabotage missions, selective assassinations and attacks abroad.”

The unit was established in the late 1980s by Gen. Zhang Shihai, who remains its adviser. The unit has an estimated 10,000 men and women and has been enhanced with soldiers trained in special warfare methods from various military regions and elite units from the three services.

The unit became known after an agent from China’s Ministry of State Security defected.

According to Canadian counterintelligence officials, about 50 Chinese agents from Unit 8189 have infiltrated Chinese neighborhoods in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver and “would be activated in the case of a clash between China and the United States.”

What appears to many to be the impending emasculation of the USA Patriot Act is worrisome to those knowledgeable about foreign intelligence activities, like Unit 8189 as well as Islamic and other terrorists including homegrown threats inside the U. S. targeting military and private facilities.

The “Patriot Act”, is a federal signed into law on October 26, 2001. The contrived acronym stands for Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001.

The Act increases the ability of law enforcement agencies to search telephone, e-mail communications, medical, financial, and other records; eases restrictions on foreign intelligence gathering within the United States; expands the Secretary of the Treasury’s authority to regulate financial transactions, particularly those involving foreign individuals and entities; and enhances the discretion of law enforcement and immigration authorities in detaining and deporting immigrants suspected of terrorism-related acts. The act also expands the definition of terrorism to include domestic terrorism, thus enlarging the number of activities to which the USA PATRIOT Act’s expanded law enforcement powers can be applied.