ISIS is spreading to Libya, Afghanistan and Pakistan, the head of Canada's spy agency warned at the Senate defence committee today.
At the same time, Michel Coulombe, the head of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, urged senators not to forget longer-running foes like al-Qaeda as Canada turns its focus to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria.
"ISIS started in Iraq and Syria, but what we're seeing now, and you've seen it in media, it's spreading in Libya, Afghanistan, Pakistan," Coulombesaid.
"Boko Haram just pledged allegiance to ISIS. So there's also this phenomenon of ISIS spreading."
Canada's top security officials are appearing before the Senate defence committee today over the government's plans to extend the reach of CSIS overseas.
Coulombe and Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney kicked off the meeting. Other top security officials, privacy commissioner Daniel Therrien and former CSIS assistant director of intelligence Ray Boisvert will also be there.
CBCNews.ca is carrying the committee meeting live.
The officials discussed Bill C-44, proposed legislation that would let CSIS work outside of Canada and better protect the confidentiality of its sources.
Right now, CSIS is barred from working outside Canada.
The bill was tabled in the House five days after Michael Zehaf-Bibeau shot and killed Cpl. Nathan Cirillo at the National War Memorial in Ottawa and stormed Parliament Hill last fall.
Read the full story from CBC here
