FBI temporarily paused cooperation with Canadian counterpart over CBC 9/11 references - report

FBI Director Kash Patel temporarily suspended cooperation with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) following Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) guidance urging journalists not to label the 9/11 attacks as "terrorism" without expert attribution, according to a New York Times report. The decision, which affected some but not all FBI-RCMP collaborations, risked disrupting operations and strained the partnership between the two nations' law enforcement agencies.

The FBI and the RCMP work together extensively on terrorism, cybersecurity, and other cases. The move occurred amid ongoing tensions between the US and Canada, exacerbated by a long-running trade dispute. The CBC initially adopted a strict policy on using the term "terrorism" but reversed its stance in August after facing criticism, stating the language was "pedantic and foolish."

Canadian Culture Minister Marc Miller called the change "welcome" as it addressed legitimate anger. Despite the reversal, FBI officials canceled meetings with Canadian counterparts during the pause. The report cited sources indicating FBI officials threatened Canada on social media, demanding an apology for the CBC's guidance. However, it is unclear how long the suspension in cooperation lasted, but it is believed to have concluded around the 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks.