Although the Canadian government has said it sees no immediate danger for its citizens after a series of fatal attacks in London, Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Rick Hillier asserts Canada is a target for terrorists.

"Osama bin Laden, some time ago, indicated Canada was a target," Hillier said, appearing on CTV's Question Period.

"As a responsible citizen of the world we have been involved in the campaign against terrorism, and, of course, we try to bring stability to places that are unstable and therefore have acted as hotbeds for supporting terrorism.

"All that, I think, does make us a target," he said, adding that he believes it is clear someone will try to attack Canada in the future.

Scott Newark, former special security advisor for Ontario, agreed, saying suspected terrorists were believed to have scouted mass transit systems in Canada.

"It's certainly accurate that kind of intelligence has been gathered in Canada. Homeland Security has issued cautions as well, specifically pertaining to mass-transit facilities. It's real," he said, also appearing on Question Period.

"The degree to which it's likely going to, or when it's going to occur, are the kind of questions people have to engage in, but it would be irresponsible to assume it couldn't happen here."

Still, experts cautioned against taking extreme measures to combat terrorism.

Some observers have urged that Canada should restrict immigrants or refugees from the Middle East, arguing the region is a breeding ground for terrorists.

But University of Ottawa political science professor Mark Salter pointed out that not all terrorist were bred in Middle Eastern countries.

"When we look at Richard Reid, the shoe bomber, who attempted to blow up the plane between Paris and the United States, he was a British-born citizen," Salter said, referring to the British convert to Islam, who was arrested and pleaded guilty after unsuccessfully trying to detonate explosives in his shoes.

"Really, I think we need to focus on intelligence, rather than our refugee system."

Newark echoed the sentiment, saying the solution was not to bar people from entering Canada.

"A lot of people who want to get away from the craziness and Islamic extremism are leaving those countries to come to places like Canada," he said.

"The solution is to use intelligence, to do a better job of identifying the people who pose a risk here, and when we determine who the people are, to remove them."

Right after news of the London terrorist attacks reached Canada, the country's 24-hour emergency preparedness system kicked in, said officials.

But government officials were just as quick to reassure Canadians that Ottawa had not received information about threat of an attack on Canadian soil.

"Let's be clear, Canada is not actively the object of any terrorist threats," Prime Minister Paul Martin said Thursday from Gleneagles, Scotland where he was when the attacks occurred.

Canada and Italy are the only two countries on an al-Qaeda hit list that have not yet been attacked.

While a group purportedly representing al Qaeda in Europe is claiming responsibility for the attacks in London, the claim has not been verified.