The "Ontario 18" becomes "Ontario 17"
Sat, 2007-02-24 10:25
#1
M. Spector
The "Ontario 18" becomes "Ontario 17"
Sat, 2007-02-24 10:25
#2
M. Spector
The court-imposed veil of secrecy still surrounds the case of the 18 alleged Muslim terrorist conspirators arrested last June in Ontario. The [url=http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/185338]Star[/url] is reporting that all charges against the youngest of the suspects (now aged 16) have been stayed, after a preliminary hearing.
quote:
The stay in proceedings against one of the suspects is a setback in the government's landmark case. On trial are not only the accused but also the reputation of Canada's spy service and federal police force, particularly since news of the terrorism arrests garnered international headlines.
That doesn't mean he's out of the woods yet, as the Crown can resurrect the charges during the next year, "but will likely only do so if new evidence comes to light," according to the Toronto Sun.
According to a [url=http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=domesticNews&stor... report[/url] it was the decision of the Crown, not the judge at the preliminary hearing, to stay the charges.
Three other teenagers, aged 17 and 18 also had their preliminary hearings conclude on Friday. They were committed to stand trial on the charge of participating in a terrorist group for the purpose of carrying out terrorist acts, [b]but not on the second charge of receiving terrorist training.[/b] One of the three still remains in custody after 8 months; the other two are out on bail.
The preliminary inquiry for the 14 adults is expected to start next month.
"[T]here are further indications that the accusations levied against others charged in connection with Canada's most high-profile anti-terror sweep are not as strong as they first appeared," says the [url=http://www.rbcinvest.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/PEstory/LAC... and Mail[/url] cryptically.
Interestingly, the [url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6436117,00.html]Associated Press[/url] is still repeating the false information given by police 8 months ago that the three tons of ammonium nitrate allegedly involved in the plot was "three times what was used in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing." [url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009015#00... is nothing of the sort.[/url]
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Some previous threads about last summer's arrests and subsequent fallout appear below. [b]Please[/b] let's not rehash all this all over again. Try to think of something original to say.
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009015]Bust nets suspected terrorists across GTA[/url]
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009017]"RCMP behind bomb material": Toronto Star[/url]
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009027]A Muslim Canadian thoughts about the latest terrorist charges[/url]
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009023]Te... What Were The Targets?[/url]
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009047]The Toronto "Anti-Terror" Arrests: An attack on Muslims and Antiwar Opinion[/url]
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=005750]Te... - big threat?[/url]
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009022]Ar... highlight Afghan importance: soldiers[/url]
[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009019]Mo... Vandalized[/url]
[ 05 May 2008: Message edited by: M. Spector ]
Sat, 2007-02-24 19:00
#3
quote:
Originally posted by M. Spector:
[b]the 18 alleged Muslim terrorist conspirators arrested last June in Ontario.[/b]
Well,[url=http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070223.wtoterr0223/... not quite all Muslim:[/url]
quote:
The youth suspect who has been freed is the youngest of the 18 arrested last summer. He celebrated his 16th birthday in a detention centre in July, 2006, one month after he was arrested. His Hindu parents said in an interview last year that he had befriended an older Muslim boy and appeared to have forged a school letter telling his parents he was going to a ”fun camp” in December of 2005.
Perhaps they will stay another charge before long, and it will no longer appear that they let the one kid go because he didn't fit the "profile."
Sun, 2007-02-25 12:01
#4
M. Spector
I did say "alleged" Muslim... [img]wink.gif" border="0[/img]
Sun, 2007-02-25 12:16
#5
quote:
The court-imposed veil of secrecy still surrounds the case of the 18 alleged Muslim terrorist conspirators arrested last June in Ontario
To be fair, the publication ban was requested by many of tyhe defence lawyers, who did not wish their clients to be tried in the press, at least not at the stage of the preliminary hearing.
Sun, 2007-02-25 12:20
#6
Cueball
And besides who wants to watch the spectacle of a bunch of real estate lawyers screwing up what is potentially the most important civil rights case in Canadian history?
Sun, 2007-02-25 12:39
#7
M. Spector
quote:
Originally posted by jeff house:
[b]To be fair, the publication ban was requested by many of tyhe defence lawyers, who did not wish their clients to be tried in the press, at least not at the stage of the preliminary hearing.[/b]
So the result has been that the defendants have been tried in the press anyway, without being allowed to say anything publicly in their defence.
Sun, 2007-02-25 13:11
#8
I am aware that some of the defence counsel wanted to hold the hearing in public, and others did not.
Very early on, one of the defence counsel provided the press with the Crown's allegations; that included the idea that they were planning to behead Stephen Harper, etc.
So probably, they have gotten the worst of both worlds.
Tue, 2007-02-27 15:15
#9
Do any of those threads link to Thomas Walkom's original article about this? I seem to remeber thinking that it seemed liked these guys were up to something odd (running around with weapons in green fatigues through swamps in February?) although they sounded more like the keystone kops than badass terrorists.
Tue, 2007-02-27 15:31
#10
M. Spector
quote:
Originally posted by minkepants:
[b]Do any of those threads link to Thomas Walkom's original article about this?[/b]
Are you referring to his June 7, 2006 column, which is quoted in full on [url=http://www.despardes.com/oscartango/2006/20060607-toronto-terrorists.htm... web page?
Tue, 2007-02-27 16:16
#11
thanks for the link. those guys remind me of the line someone once said about OJ: "They were guilty and they were framed." But the idea that these turkeys justify a security build-up, or abrogation of my liberties is pretty ridiculous.
Sun, 2007-04-08 20:46
#12
M. Spector
Twelve of the accused men are being held in inhumane conditions in the Maplehurst detention centre in Milton, Ont.
They are kept in solitary confinement for 23Ѕ hours a day, and denied the right to communicate with each other or with their families on the outside.
- [url=http://www.thestar.com/News/article/200809]Source[/url]
Link to next thread:[url=http://www.rabble.ca/babble/ultimatebb.php?ubb=get_topic&f=2&t=009487]Ch... stayed against two more terrorists.[/url] [ 05 November 2007: Message edited by: M. Spector ]