- Mubin Shaikh
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Mubin Shaikh 
Shaikh in 2008Born September 29, 1975
Toronto, OntarioOther names none Mubin Shaikh was one of two informants for the Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) in the 2006 Toronto Terrorism case, and moved on to become a paid Royal Canadian Mounted Police agent. He has expressed his dismay at many Canadians who were skeptical of the allegations of a legitimate terrorist plot.[1]
Despite allegations of entrapment, in March 2009 judge John Sproat vindicated Shaikh of any wrongdoing and that the groups plans were already underway prior to Shaikh's involvement with the group. The full text of Judge Sproat's ruling can be found at http://www.canlii.org/en/on/onsc/doc/2008/2008canlii51935/2008canlii51935.html
At the end of the trial in June 2010, a comprehensive presentation of previously restricted information including court exhibits entered as evidence was put forward by Isabel Teotonio of the Toronto Star. It can be accessed at: http://www3.thestar.com/static/toronto18/index.html
Contents
Personal life
Shaikh was born at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto, to Indian parents who had emigrated from the United Kingdom.
Shaikh attended Grade 7 and 8 at Kane Senior Public School and joined the Royal Canadian Army Cadets at the age of 13.[2] He then attended York Memorial Collegiate, where he briefly fought the urge to travel to Chechnya or Bosnia to participate in jihad.[citation needed]
In May 1995, he volunteered with Tablighi Jamaat[citation needed] and traveled to the United States, Pakistan, India and Britain with the group.[3]
He met his future wife at York Collegiate and they married in December 1998 after her conversion to Islam. They honeymooned in Mecca and Medina, and have four children.[4]
A Sunni Muslim, Shaikh is also a member of the Liberal Party of Canada.[2]
Activism
After helping his sister obtain an Islamic divorce through the mosque in 2003, Shaikh became a volunteer with the Masjid al-Noor's arbitration process.In 2005, he began actively campaigning for recognition of Sharia law as a voluntary method of dispute-resolution in Ontario's Muslim community.[5] When public outcry condemned the practice, Shaikh believed that racism and "hate speech" played a large role.[citation needed]
He is also a noted activist and public speaker, speaking on a 2004 panel for the Millennium Scholarship Foundation at Parliament Hill in Ottawa and the International Law Student Conference of November 2004. He has appeared as a panel speaker at the University of Toronto[6] and McGill University.
He has travelled extensively throughout the world and lived in Syria from 2002 through 2004.
Public and police role
Shaikh departing a helicopter.
Upon his return to Canada from Syria in 2004, he heard of Mohammad Khawaja's arrest. Khawaja and Shaikh knew each other from childhood and subsequent meetings with CSIS convinced him to work as an informant, meanwhile continuing to volunteer at Masjid el-Noor where he had worked for at least ten years.
On November 27, 2005 - Shaikh met with members of the terrorist plot at an information meeting at the Taj Banquet Hall regarding the controversial use of security certificates in the country, and began his "infiltration" of the group.[7] He was allegedly told that a training trip to Orillia had been planned, and asked Shaikh if he would train them in guerilla tactics and teach them how to use a gun, since he mentioned his military training and later showed them his Possession and Acquisition License.[3][7] He later went "shopping" for firearms with one of the suspects, Zakaria Amara, leader of the bomb plot and who eventually plead guilty in 2009.[7] Amara was given a life sentence.
In January 2007, he was paid $297,000 by the RCMP as further compensation for his role prior to the youth preliminary hearings - the first legal proceeding in this case. It would be followed by four others in three years.[8]
Shaikh also testified at the adult preliminary hearings that took place in September 2007. It was halted by the Prosecution mid-way and proceeded to trial in 2010.
In the summer of 2008, Shaikh testified at the trial of the 1 young offender, without having been paid the additional compensation he was seeking. The youth was found guilty but released on time served.
In 2009 an 'abuse of process' motion was heard where the issue of entrapment was discussed at length. Judge Sproat took into consideration all allegations and concluded that no such entrapment took place and that Shaikh 'exhibited a great number of the hallmarks of a truthful and credible witness'.
Shaikh testified yet again at the adult trial by jury of ringleader Fahim Ahmad, Asad Ansari and Steven Chand in April 2010 - the fifth such legal proceeding. Fahim Ahmed plead guilty mid-way through this trial and has since been sentenced to 16 years.
Shaikh's testimony in this landmark prosecution ended May 2010.
A comprehensive and detailed account of the case was done by Isabel Teotonio of the Toronto Star and is available at http://www3.thestar.com/static/toronto18/index.html
U.S. Terrorism Watch List
On May 19, 2011, the Toronto Star, from a Wikileaks dispatch, reported that paid CSIS and RCMP informant, Mubin Shaikh, had been added to the U.S. terrorism watch list.[9]
For his part, Shaikh claims CSIS has made efforts to remove him from the list and as proof, travelled to Dublin, Ireland as a speaker for Google Idea's, "Summit Against violent Extremism" shortly after the alleged listing.
His profile from the Summit is available here: http://www.againstviolentextremism.org/network#mubin-shaikh
References
- ^ CBC, Public has 'played this off,' alleged bomb plot informant tells court, June 10, 2008
- ^ a b Riding Associations Ontario - Get Involved...It's Your Country Too!
- ^ a b PBS, Frontline, Canada: The Cell Next Door, January 30, 2007
- ^ SONYA FATAH » Archives » From ‘goth chick’ to devout wife
- ^ CBC, Ontario Premier rejects use of Shariah law
- ^ University of Toronto: Events
- ^ a b c Singh, Gurmukh. The Indian News, Bomb-laden trucks planned in Toronto terror plot, June 11, 2008
- ^ globeandmail.com: National
- ^ Walkom, Thomas (March 21, 2009). "Walkom: CSIS adds its own mole to terror list". The Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/993475--walkom-csis-adds-its-own-mole-to-terror-list?bn=1. Retrieved May 19, 2011.
External links
2006 Toronto terrorism case Charges dropped Suspects who were found guilty 
American cellSyed Ahmed, Ehsanul SadequeeDefense attorneys Paul Burstein, Breese Davies, Dennis Edney, Anser Farooq, Rocco Galati, David Kolinsky, Donald McLeod, David Mercury, Faisal Mirza, Michael A. Moon, Edward Sapiano, Paul Slansky, Peter Zaduk
CSIS informantsMubin Shaikh, Shaher ElsohemyOther Directors Chiefs Agents Informants Related agencies - David Ayre
- John Farrell
- Raymond Kobzey
- Willy Laurie
- Santokh Bagga
- Grant Bristow
- Surjan Singh Gill°
- Jim Moses
- Mubin Shaikh
- Shaher Elsohemy
- Communications Security Establishment
- Integrated National Security Enforcement Teams
- Target Approval and Review Committee
° denotes that allegations of acting as a mole are not proven. Categories:- 1975 births
- Living people
- 2006 Toronto terrorism case
- Canadian activists
- Canadian Muslims
- Canadian people of Indian descent
- People from Toronto
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