Source: National Post - 4-jul-08

The star witness in the so-called "Toronto 18" terror prosecutions said Thursday that the youth currently on trial should be acquitted of the charge of participating in a terrorist group.

"There is a reasonable doubt," said Mubin Shaikh, 32, as he spoke to the media after pleading guilty to "threatening bodily harm" in an unrelated incident at a Toronto schoolyard in April, 2007.

Final arguments in the trial of the youth are scheduled to begin next week. The now 20-year-old defendant, who did not testify at his trial, is accused of attending two training camps and of shoplifting for a sleeper cell.

"I knew the purpose of the camp. I can tell you the accused was not told," said Mr. Shaikh. "I do not have any direct knowledge to suggest he knew the purpose of the camp," added Mr. Shaikh. He said the youth believed the camp was for religious purposes.

Mr. Shaikh also defended his recent testimony at the trial of the youth, where the Crown took the step of cross-examining its own witness, arguing that there were inconsistencies with his earlier statements to police.

Source: Globe & Mail - 3-jul-08

Both sides to give closing arguments next week on the 20-year-old training-camp participant at the centre of Canada's first terror trial

BRAMPTON, ONT. -- For almost a month, vibrant scenes of terror suspects allegedly plotting attacks and the more banal episodes of the same men ordering fast food came to life in a Brampton courtroom during Canada's first terrorism trial.

The Crown closed its case yesterday against a 20-year-old man who was among 18 people arrested in the RCMP's dragnet in 2006 for allegedly receiving terrorist training and planning a massive assault on home turf.

Judge John Sproat is expected to hear closing arguments from the Crown and defence next week before he announces his verdict, which could be weeks or months away.

The most provocative evidence submitted by the Crown or brought up in witness testimony reduced the accused - whose identity is protected by the Youth Criminal Justice Act - to mere background in the alleged plot.

Source: CTV.ca - 3-jul-08

The defence lawyer in the trial surrounding an alleged terror plot to behead the prime minister has declined to call any witnesses.

Lawyer Mitchell Chernovsky told a Brampton court on Wednesday that he believes the evidence already presented will be enough to clear his client, a 20-year-old who was one of 18 people arrested in 2006 in relation to the alleged plot.

The Crown claims the scheme included plans to blow up buildings and storm Parliament Hill.

Source: Globe & Mail - 25-jun-08 

Prosecutor demands to know why story changed about alleged terrorist training camp near Guelph

The prosecution challenged another of its own witnesses after the description in court yesterday of an alleged terrorist training camp differed from the one the young witness gave during a police interview two years ago.

Crown attorney John Neander grew visibly frustrated with witness Sahl Syed as he demanded of the 21-year-old University of Toronto student why he changed his story about what he heard at the May, 2006, camp at the Rockwood Conservation Area near Guelph, Ont.

Mr. Syed is the Crown's third witness in the trial of a 20-year-old man who is accused of receiving terrorist training.

Source: Toronto Star - 28-jun-08 

A layman attending the first of the so-called Toronto 18 terror trials – of a young man who cannot be named because he was under 18 at the time of his alleged offence – would probably wonder why this defendant was ever charged.

The Crown is not accusing him of participating in the plot to blow up buildings. Nor has it said that the then 17-year-old took part in alleged plans to storm Parliament. In fact, he has been a minor player in his own trial. Most testimony has focused on the rhetoric and actions of the 10 adults still facing charges. The Crown's own star witnesses – RCMP mole Mubin Shaikh and University of Toronto student Sahl Syed – have testified that the defendant played a peripheral role at two so-called training camps. Indeed, Syed testified that at the second camp, no training occurred.

There is no evidence that the defendant said anything anti-Western. Nor is there evidence that he was present when such things were said.

Source: Toronto Star - 25-jun-08

It's lucky for federal prosecutors that the high-profile Khawaja terror trial is dominating the airwaves. Because in Canada's other terror trial, the one related to the so-called Toronto 18, the Crown's case just took another tumble.

Yesterday in a Brampton courtroom, lead prosecutor John Neander was – again – confounded by one of his own star witnesses. Sahl Syed, a 21-year-old University of Toronto student, was supposed to be a linchpin in the Crown's case against a youth facing charges in what the government contends was a plot to blow up buildings and behead the prime minister.

But when he got on the stand yesterday, the young man painted a quite different picture. He said the group went swimming and hiking. They played with inflatable watercraft. They talked about school and getting married. They slept in until noon. Their only weapons were two large hunting knifes. They didn't shoot guns or do anything resembling combat training.