Terrorist gets life term in Canada for Al-Qaeda plot

TORONTO - The ringleader of an Al Qaeda-inspired terrorist plot in Canada was given life sentence Monday.

Zakaria Amara, 24, who hatched the terror plot that was unearthed in June 2006, was jailed for life by a court in Brampton on the outskirts of Toronto. Known as the Toronto-18 terror plot, it was uncovered with the arrest of 18 Muslims, mostly of Pakistani origin.

The plotters had planned to storm the Canadian parliament, take Prime Minister Stephen Harper hostage and behead him. They had also planned to use blow up the Toronto Stock Exchange, offices of the Canadian spy agency and many other targets.

To carry out the plot, they had undergone training in firearms at a rural camp far away from Toronto in December 2005. The plot was unearthed when a mole - paid more than $4 million by the police to act as a coconspirator - blew the whistle on it.

Life term for the plot mastermind is the severest sentence imposed by Canada to this day under the new terror law enacted after 9/11.

Giving the verdict sentence in what the court called “spine chilling” and “exceptional” case, Justice Bruce Durno said, “It cannot be said these things happen only in other countries. These things happen here.”

The judge said, “He (Amara) committed a terrorist offence that would have had catastrophic consequences. He did not serve as a foot soldier but as a leader.

“The offences have left a permanent scar in this area. Had the bombs exploded, that scar would have been even more severe.”

Amara, who had planned to flee to Pakistan after carrying out the plot, will be eligible for parole in 2016 after the time he has already spent in jail is taken in consideration.

Earlier in the day, the court sentenced his co-conspirator Saad Gaya, 22, to 12 years for his role in the plot. Judge called Gaya’s role that of a helper in the plot.

“While the offender did not know how big the bombs were going to be … he was willfully blind as to the likelihood that there would be death or serious bodily harm,” the judge said.

Gaya was arrested along with another plotter Saad Khalid when they were unloading a truck perceived to be carrying tons of ammonium nitrate to prepare truck bombs. Khalid has already been jailed for 14 years.

Saad, who was born in Montreal to Pakistani parents, wanted to take revenge for Canada’s role in the Afghan mission.

In what could have been Canada’s 9/11, four plotters have pleaded guilty, seven have charges against them stayed or dropped, and five still face trial.

Most of the plotters came from the Toronto suburb of Mississauga which has a huge concentration of Muslims.

Canada has about a million Muslim in its population of 34 million.

Canadian laws are very lenient, with life imprisonment handed down only in rare cases. Canada has no death penalty.

(Gurmukh Singh can be contacted at gurmukh.s@ians.in)