Life sentence for Toronto 18 terror plotter
Posted March 4, 2011 11:56 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
One of the leaders of the Toronto 18 has been handed a life sentence for his role in the infamous homegrown terror plot.
The judge gave Shareef Abdelhaleem, 35, his jail term in a Brampton court Friday — the same punishment given to Toronto 18 mastermind Zakaria Amara.
Abdelhaleem was found guilty last year of participating in a terrorist group and intending to cause an explosion. He’s expected to appeal.
The defence had requested a 20-year sentence.
Abdelhaleem won’t be eligible for parole for 10 years. He’s been held in custody since 2006, so he’s eligible for release as early as 2016.
The Crown described Abdelhaleem as the “principal architect” of the foiled 2006 plot. He was responsible for figuring out how much ammonium nitrate the group needed for its planned explosions and how the substance would be stored. Abdelhaleem tried to argue during his trial that he was entrapped.
Abdelhaleem is the final member of the group to be sentenced. The defence called no evidence during his trial. Defence lawyer William Naylor said his client joined the group to make money — he thought he could profit if the attacks wreaked havoc on the stock market. Abdelhaleem also told the court he tried to persuade his co-conspirators to mitigate damage and protect against casualties.
“Mr. Abdelhaleem exhibits no genuine remorse or insight into his behaviour and has so far not accepted responsibility for his dangerous actions,” judge Fletcher Dawson said.
Some of the group’s planned targets included the Toronto Stock Exchange and the downtown offices of the Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS).
Of the 18 people originally arrested for the plot in the summer of 2006, seven pleaded guilty and four were convicted. Charges were dropped against seven others.
With files from The Canadian Press.
