2006 Toronto terrorism case

On 2 June and 3 June 2006, police and security agencies in Ontario, Canada carried out a series of counter-terrorism raids in the Greater Toronto Area that resulted in the arrest of 17 alleged members of a purported Islamic terrorist cell. Canadian authorities and law-enforcement agencies allege the men had been planning a series of major terrorist assaults on targets in southern Ontario. Another suspect was arrested in this raid 2 months after the initial raid.

The case is also the subject of an independent documentary entitled Unfair Dealing, written, produced, and narrated by David Weingarten, and co-produced by Adil Lakhani, both of whom are from the Toronto-area.

Allegations

A major incident leading to the arrests, two camping tripswere classified as "terrorist training", while defence lawyers argued that police informant Mubin Shaikh had largely choreographed the men and youth acting as a provocateur, as he had "helped organise and operate it".CBC, [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/06/11/brampton-trial.html?ref=rss Informant says militant training camp was 'potty training' exercise] , June 11 2008]

Orillia camping trip

Held in Orillia, Ontario over a period of 12 days, [http://www.thestar.com/article/350909] Shaikh was considered the "military trainer" at the camp. He also asked campers to "acquire" camping gear for the trip, specifying later at trial that he used a specific term meaning to "take unlawfully items in support of camping. Unlawfully. Not through legal purchases."Brean, Joseph. National Post, [http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=577856 'We weren't out there picking daisies'] , June 10 2008]

Shaikh also taught gun safety to the campers with a 9 mm handgunWark, Wesley. Ottawa Citizen, [http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=d61fb954-ff43-4910-9f43-48e8fd6316c5 The beginning of terrorism] , August 9 2008] and ammunition he brought himself. He also gave "exhortational sermons on Jihad" [Leong, Melissa. National Post, [http://osgoode.yorku.ca/media2.nsf/83303ffe5af03ed585256ae6005379c9/c9eb036c61e714cf852572f00055b963!OpenDocument Ontario terror case far from over] , June 2 2007] but described the camp itself as hapless and "potty training". He stated that only himself and two others considered the camp to be focused on identifying "people of skill, physical and spiritual", and that its "sole function was to look for a few good men and weed out the rest" rather than perform any actual training. The camp was advertised to the campers as being a simple recreational winter camping trip.Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/356924 Suspect told 'terrorist camp' was capming trip] , March 26, 2008] The alleged ringleader of the camp, who cannot be named, also gave sermons comparing the Canadian countryside to Chechnya, and calling for victory over "Rome", which prosecutors have alleged was a reference to Canada. The same leader also stated that ""We're not officially al-Qaida but we share their principles and methods" around a campfire.National Post, [http://www.canada.com/topics/news/story.html?id=fb8e207e-2c1f-46e6-bfcb-d6be4e6c0f5f ] , September 25 2008]

In 2008, videos that Shaikh had made at the camp documenting their actions were made public, after the media obtained them through the British trial of Aabid Khan, thus working around the publication ban that forbid them from showing evidence from the Canadian trials. In addition to the paintball antics, and hikes through the snow, the video showed the youths daring each other to jump over campfires, and driving in a Canadian Tire parking lot late at night, alternatively described as "evasive driving maneuvers" or simply having fun driving doughnuts on the slippery ice. The amateur film had been dubbed with nasheed music. [National Post, [http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/posted/archive/2008/09/18/video-of-alleged-ont-terror-group-released.aspx Video of alleged Ont. terror group released] , September 18 2008] [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2008/09/19/defence-video.html]

The youths would frequent the local Tim Hortons coffee shop, still dressed in their fatigues, which Shaikh mocked as demonstrating their lack of interest in remaining "low key".

Rockwood camping trip

Held over two days at the Rockwood Conservation Area in May 2006, the second camping trip, consisting of 10 people, came after several members had already complained about fearing that police would arrest them for having known two Americans who had just been arrested.http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=569571]

After learning the campsite was infested with rodents, one of the accused asked whether Islamic law allowed the killing of rats and spiders. A youth who cannot be named appeared in videos with the rest of the group, meant to mimic Jihadist beheading videos coming out of the Invasion of Iraq, sitting in front of a flag, and flanked by two dull hunting knivess. During the filming, the leader kept trying to effect giggles from the adolescents, who were trying "to look tough" for the "mock" video.Walkom, Thomas. Toronto Star, [http://www.thestar.com/Canada/Columnist/article/448780 Crown's linchpin shakes case] , June 25 2008]

Following the arrests of a number of campers, Sahl Syed came forward to police to confess he had also attended the camp. Although called as a witness for the prosecution during the trial of the under-aged suspect, his testimony was considered damaging to the attempt to portray the camp as an elite training camp, as he testified that the group slept in until noon, went swimming, hiking and played with inflatable watercraft, while discussing their shared plans for school and marriage.

Alleged targets

The group was allegedly preparing for a large-scale terrorist attack in southern Ontario, which included detonating truck bombs at least two locations in Southern Ontario and opening fire in a crowded area. Police alleged they also made plans to storm various buildings such as the Canadian Broadcasting Centre and the Canadian Parliament building, and take hostages. According to one of the suspect's lawyers, they have been accused of planning to "behead the Prime Minister", Stephen Harper, and other leaders. [ [http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CANADA_TERRORISM_ARRESTS?SITE=ILEDW&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT] ] [ [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/06/06/canada.terror/index.html CNN.com - Lawyer: Government says terror plans included beheading - Jun 7, 2006 ] ] [ [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=c8008ad3-54e2-4155-98d1-6687c5649db3&k=1929 Terror suspects plotted two separate attacks ] ]

Law enforcement authorities have identified other specific targets, including the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) [ [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149371435834&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154 TheStar.com - Page Not Found ] ] and the Parliamentary Buildings' Peace Tower. [ [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060605.wxterror05/BNStory/National/home globeandmail.com: National ] ]

Charges

*The 12 adult men are charged in connection with alleged terrorist acts ranging from conspiracy to carry out a terrorist activity, to training for terrorist purposes, to bomb making and illegally importing guns and ammunition.
*All 12 adults are charged with knowingly participating in a terrorist group for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activity in Mississauga, Toronto, Fort Erie, the Township of Ramara and elsewhere in Ontario, between 1 March 2005 and 2 June 2006.
*3 of the 12 are also charged with importing firearms and ammunition into Canada for the benefit of a terrorist group in Mississauga, Toronto, Fort Erie and elsewhere in Ontario, between 1 March and 14 August 2005. They also face a related charge of collecting prohibited weapons and ammunition for the purpose of carrying out terrorist activity during the same time period.
*Ahmad, Amara, Ansari, Jamal, James, Durrani, Chand alias Shakur, Ghany and Khalid, are charged with receiving training for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a terrorist group to carry out terrorist activity, in Mississauga, Toronto, the Township of Ramara, and elsewhere in the province, between 27 November 2005, and 31 December 2005.
*Ahmad, Amara, Durrani, Chand and Shakur, face a separate charge of providing training for the purpose of enhancing the ability of a terrorist group to carry out a terrorist act at the same locations and between the same dates.
*Ahmad, Amara, Ansari, Abdelhaleen, Jamal and Khalid are charged with "doing anything with intent to cause an explosion of an explosive substance that is likely to cause serious bodily harm or death", in Mississauga, Toronto, Fort Erie, the Township of Ramara, and elsewhere in Ontario, between 1 March 2005, and 2 June 2006.
*The names and charges of the five people under the age of 18 have not been released, due to the privacy provisions of Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act
*On Friday, 23 February 2007, all charges against the youngest of the accused, a 16-year-old from Scarborough, were stayed in a Brampton, Ontario courtroom. The stay order was announced by an attorney from the Ontario Ministry of the Attorney General speaking before an Ontario Superior Court justice.

*All charges against 2 more youth, were stayed on 31 July 2007 with the conditions imposed under a Peace Bond, the first to be implemented under a terrorism related peace bond, which states that they must not have any communication with their co-accused, they must report to police twice a month, and must seek counselling from their respective Imams.

The arrests

The raids were carried out by an inter-agency task force, the Integrated National Security Enforcement Team (INSET), which coordinated the activities of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and other police forces, as the operation was spread across several different jurisdictions in southern Ontario, in the area north of Toronto. Each of the 400 police involved in the arrests was required to sign a confidentiality pledge under Canada's Security of Information Act but the fact of the arrests was leaked to the Toronto Star.

The police state that one of the arrested men, 20-year-old Ali Imran, ordered three metric tonnes (6600 pounds) of ammonium nitrate fertilizer, a potentially powerful ingredient often used as quarry and mining explosives. This weight has widely been compared to the amount of ammonium nitrate used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing in the United States. The official account estimates the ammonium nitrate in the Oklahoma City bomb at 2000 pounds, or about 0.9 metric tons. Therefore, this scale comparison should be interpreted cautiously, as the true amount seized in the arrests could be as little as 38% more, to over 200% more, than was used in Oklahoma City. There was never any serious chance of danger or harm as a harmless substance was substituted for the ammonium nitrate and delivered to the men by the RCMP in a sting operation. [ [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149545412024&call_pageid=1149329604487&col=1149329604479 TheStar.com - Page Not Found ] ]

Canadian ammonium nitrate suppliers have publicly stated that after the events of the Oklahoma City bombing, it has been their policy not to deliver any substantial quantity of the chemical to anyone who is not a known customer. As such it would be virtually impossible for someone who is not a commercial farmer to obtain possession of any quantity of the compound. It is therefore unlikely that the suspects could have ordered the compound without raising police suspicion in any case.

In a press conference held after the arrests, the RCMP said that the CSIS had been monitoring the individuals since 2004, joined by the RCMP last year, [ [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060603/toronto_arrests_060603/20060604?hub=TorontoHome CTV.ca | RCMP arrests 17, foiling alleged Ont. bomb plot ] ] and that the individuals had planned to blow up unidentified targets in southern Ontario. The suspects, all adherents to Islam, were alleged by CSIS to have been inspired by Al-Qaeda. [ [http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/04/top10.htm 17 held in terror plot in Canada -DAWN - Top Stories; June 04, 2006 ] ] A direct connection seems unlikely, as none of the suspects are known to be affiliated with the organization. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/world/americas/04toronto.html?ei=5087%0A&en=9a73d1adefdf1e34&ex=1149566400&pagewanted=all 17 Held in Plot to Bomb Sites in Ontario - New York Times ] ] Canadian Prime Minister, Stephen Harper, was informed of the raids, as were other political, security and police leaders across Ontario. The investigation started with intelligence officials monitoring Internet chat sites. The suspects were charged under the anti-terrorism legislation passed by Canadian parliament in December 2001 in response to the September 11 attacks in the United States. The June 2 and 3 arrests were only the second time the legislation has been used, and marked one of the largest anti-terrorism arrests in North America.

On July 13, 2006, the "Toronto Star" reported that an unnamed but well-known member of Toronto's Islamic community had infiltrated the alleged terrorist cell while being on the police payroll as an informant. [ [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1152741017173&call_pageid=968332188492&col=968793972154&t=TS_Home TheStar.com - Page Not Found ] ] The Star had earlier reported that another police agent was involved in receiving the ammonium nitrate. [ [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149371435834&call_pageid=1149588102453&col=1149588102220 TheStar.com - Page Not Found ] ] On July 16, 2006, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation revealed the individual involved was Mubin Shaikh, a Canadian-born Muslim of Indian heritage. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/toronto-bomb-plot/shaikh-interview.html CBC News Indepth: Toronto Bomb Plot ] ]

The suspects

Fifteen of the suspects appeared in court in the afternoon of June 3, under heavy security. At roughly the same time, the identities of the 12 adult men were revealed:
*Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, Mississauga described as an active member of the mosque who frequently led prayers. [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/world/americas/05canada.html Six of 17 Arrested in Canada's Antiterror Sweep Have Ties to Mosque Near Toronto - New York Times ] ] He immigrated from Karachi, Pakistan at an unknown date. [ [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060606.TERRORYOUTH06/TPStory/ globeandmail.com ] ]
*Shareef Abdelhaleem, 30, born in Egypt immigrated with his family to Canada at the age of 10.
*Steven Vikash Chand, alias Abdul Shakur, 25, a recent convert to Islam and a former Canadian soldier. [ [http://www.metronews.ca/news_feature_detail.asp?id=16644 Metro ] ]
*Yasim Abdi Mohamed, 24, born in Somalia, immigrated to Canada with his family
*Jahmaal James, 23, Toronto
*Mohammed Dirie, 22, Markham (last known address) born in Somalia, immigrated to Canada with his family
*Fahim Ahmad, 21, Toronto
*Asad Ansari, 21, Mississauga
*Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, born in Canada, his family immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago. Ghany was released on $140,000 (Cdn.) bail on July 21, 2006. [ [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1153433434523&call_pageid=968350130169&col=969483202845 TheStar.com - Page Not Found ] ]
*Zakaria Amara, 20, Mississauga
*Saad Khalid, 19, born in Pakistan, he immigrated with his family to Canada at the age of 8.

The identities of the five minors are legally protected by Canada's Youth Criminal Justice Act.

Three of the men — Fahim Ahmad, Mohammed Dirie and Yasim Abdi Mohamed — are also alleged to have imported weapons and prohibited ammunition for terrorist purposes in Mississauga, Toronto, Fort Erie and elsewhere in Ontario, between 1 March 2005 and 14 August 2005.

Six of the 17 men arrested have ties to the Al Rahman Islamic Center near Toronto, a Sunni mosque. Another two of those arrested were already serving time in a Kingston, Ontario prison on weapons possession charges. [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/05/world/americas/05canada.html?pagewanted=2 Six of 17 Arrested in Canada's Antiterror Sweep Have Ties to Mosque Near Toronto - New York Times ] ] According to the FBI two other men, Syed Ahmed and Ehsanul Sadequee, who were recently arrested in Georgia in the United States on terrorism charges are connected to the case as well. [ [http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?floc=ne-national-more&idq=/ff/story/0002%2F20060603%2F1530023024.htm&sc=rontz The News channel » Propeller ] ]

Impact on Canada-U.S. relations

The arrests sparked several comments by politicians in the United States regarding the security of Canada, as well that of the United States. Congressman Peter King was reported on June 6 to have said that "there's a large al-Qaeda presence in Canada … because of their very liberal immigration laws, because of how political asylum is granted so easily", [ [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060605.terror-wash05/BNStory/International/home globeandmail.com: World ] ] without providing evidence to support his statement. On the same day, Representative John Hostettler of Indiana reportedly said that "South Toronto, like those parts of London that are host to the radical imams who influenced the 9/11 terrorists and the shoe bomber, has people who adhere to a militant understanding of Islam". Hostettler's alleged comments were widely criticized in Canada, as there is no area of Toronto known as "South Toronto". Both Canada's Conservative government and the Liberal opposition condemned the "completely uninformed and ignorant remarks". [ [http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/09062006/6/n-canada-canada-slams-ignorant-comments-security.html] Dead link|date=March 2008] [ [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20060609.wxborder09/BNStory/National/home globeandmail.com: National ] ]

However, the Secretary of State of the United States Condoleezza Rice publicly stated that the White House was satisfied that Canadian authorities have demonstrated that they are being duly vigilant against terrorism.

Reporting controversy

The initial reports of this incident caused some controversy when a Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer, Mike McDonell, described the arrested people as representing a "broad strata" of Canadian societycite news |first= |last= |authorlink= |coauthors=Surya Bhattacharya, Nasreen Gulmhusein and Heba Aly |title=The ties that bind 17 suspects? |url= |work=Toronto Star |publisher= |date=June 4, 2006 |accessdate=2008-03-27 ] and the "Toronto Star" claimed that it is "difficult to find a common denominator" among them, even though all were Muslims and many attended the same mosque. Some individuals in the media, such as Andrew C. McCarthy in "National Review", have described this as a tendency of the police and media to whitewash a role of militant Islam in contemporary terrorism. [ [http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=MmRjMThlNDA0YmNmZWU1NzM4MGQ0NmVkOTUwMzExZTA= Andrew C. McCarthy on At War & Media on National Review Online ] ] Despite a scarcity of information due to a publication ban, an online documentary entitled raised a series of issues around the case. [ [http://lawiscool.com/2008/03/16/unfair-dealings-another-independant-documentary/ Law is Cool » Unfair Dealing - Another Independent Documentary ] ]

As of 2008, police informant Mubin Shaikh admitted that "the case is not as strong as suggested" - but still believed that a number of the accused would be found guilty. [http://thefacesbehind.net TheFacesBehind.net] , [http://www.thefacesbehind.net/main/page_the_interviews_mubin_shaikh.html Mubin Shaikh:CSIS Informant, Key Witness] , April 2008]

Court proceedings

A preliminary hearing initially started June 4, for the remaining 14 terrorism suspects, was halted by the Crown Attorney on September 24, 2007. The case was to proceed directly to trial. The move (called a "preferred indictment" or a "direct indictment") meant the defence counsel could not hear the balance of the testimony of the Crown's key witness, police informant Mubin Shaikh, who was in the middle of testifying. Another police mole was scheduled to take the stand next.

A preferred direct indictment means that the proceedings against all 14 adults are stayed and a new proceeding against them has begun. As a result, the accused were all re-arrested, including the two who were out on bail, re-charged and they will now have to apply for new bail hearings. And under a direct indictment, the case will go directly to trial without a preliminary hearing.cite news
last =Teotonio
first =Isabel
title = Homegrown terror case goes to trial
publisher = The Toronto Star
date = 2007-09-24
url =http://www.thestar.com/News/Canada/article/260004
accessdate = 2007-09-24 ]

References

* [http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/06/03/terror-suspects.html "Bomb plot suspects appear in court"] , CBC, June 3, 2006
* [http://www.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/06/03/canada.terror/index.html "Toronto terror plot foiled"] , CNN, June 3, 2006
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5044560.stm Canada charges 17 terror suspects] , BBC, June 3, 2006
* [http://voanews.com/english/2006-06-03-voa15.cfm Canadian Police Arrest 17 Suspected Terrorists] , Voice of America, June 3, 2006
* [http://www.news8austin.com/content/headlines/?ArID=163408&SecID=2 "Canada arrests 17 allegedly 'inspired by al-Qaida'"] , Associated Press, June 3, 2006
* [http://www.dawn.com/2006/06/04/top10.htm 17 held in terror plot] , Dawn, June 4, 2006
* [http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/June2006/03/c2959.html Twelve Arrested on Anti-Terrorism Charges] , CNW, June 3, 2006
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/world/americas/04toronto.html?ei=5087%0A&en=9a73d1adefdf1e34&ex=1149566400&pagewanted=all "17 Held in Plot to Bomb Sites in Ontario"] , New York Times, June 4, 2006
* [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=9ee0b6bc-6d12-4fde-bd13-85d1cd6b71c5 Frightened rural Ontario residents describe 'terror-training camp'] , National Post, June 5, 2006
* [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20060604/terrorists_court_060604/20060604?hub=CTVNewsAt11 Toronto's top cop urges calm after arrests] , CTV, June 5, 2006
* [http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/story.html?id=2e8f5170-6f5d-451a-857f-938d3b93d532 After escaping war in Somalia, terror suspects grew up in Toronto] , National Post, June 5, 2006
* [http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1149630613348&call_pageid=968332188492 Plan to 'behead' PM] , Toronto Star, June 7, 2006
* [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/toronto/story/2007/02/23/bombplot-youth.html Charges stayed against teen in Ontario bomb plot case] , [CBC News] , Friday, February 23, 2007

External links

* [http://www.rcmp.ca/news/n_0608_e.htm Official RCMP-GRC English News Release]
* [http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/HTMLTemplate?tf=/ctv/mar/video/new_player.html&cf=ctv/mar/ctv.cfg&hub=TopStories&video_link_high=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2006/06/05/ctvvideologger2_691kbps_2006_06_05_1149543622.wmv&video_link_low=mms://ctvbroadcast.ctv.ca/video/2006/06/05/ctvvideologger2_218kbps_2006_06_05_1149543066.wmv&clip_start=00:03:15.42&clip_end=00:14:34.34&clip_caption=CTV%20Toronto:%20Correspondents%20cover%20the%20arrests&clip_id=ctvnews.20060605.00148000-00148398-clip1&subhub=video&no_ads=&sortdate=20060605&slug=terror_canada_update_060605&archive=CTVNews#ctvnews.20060605.00148000-00148398-clip1 CTV Toronto Video coverage of incident]
* [http://jurist.law.pitt.edu/forumy/2006/06/canadian-anti-terror-law-on-trial.php Canadian Anti-Terror Law on Trial: The Toronto Terrorism Arrests] , JURIST
* [http://www.TorontoPaintball18.com TorontoPaintball18.com] , Website set up by families of those accused to present their case to the public.
* [http://www.wrmea.com/archives/August_2006/0608044.html Toronto Arrests Spark Debate About Muslim Extremism] , Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, August 2006, pages 44-45
* [http://www.thestar.com/News/article/200809 'Inhumane' isolation for terror suspects: Lawyers] , Canadian Press (Toronto Star et al.), Apr 08, 2007
* [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070917.wterror17/BNStory/National/home Federal Privy Council Offices' management of the communication of the incident to the media] Globe and Mail, September 17, 2007
* [http://captiveincanada.com] CaptiveInCanada.com - site dedicated to shareef abdelhaleem and rest of captives