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| Great White North |
| Canadian terror camp mole acted on his own, court told |
| 2009-02-07 |
| A police mole who infiltrated an alleged homegrown terror cell volunteered to attend a so-called terrorist training camp and act as the "eyes and ears" of the RCMP, an officer testified yesterday in a Brampton court. Sgt. John McIntyre said Mubin Shaikh was never tasked to go to the two-week camp in December 2005, which was frequented by members of a group known as the Toronto 18. "He was an informer in December, he was providing information to us," McIntyre told Superior Court Justice John Sproat. "To my knowledge he attended the camp on his own volition." McIntyre said he was "specifically" told to treat Shaikh as an informant, adding informants are "eyes and ears only. They are not to be directed." Supt. Jamie Jagoe, who at the time was in charge of national security investigations in the province, also testified yesterday. He, too, said that in late 2005 Shaikh was treated as an informant – a decision he "certainly agreed" with. Their evidence, along with that of other officers who have testified this week, supports the position of Crown prosecutors John Neander and Marco Mendicino, who argue Shaikh was not a state agent at the time of the camp. That designation, they say, came two months later when he signed a formal contract with the RCMP. Shaikh's status during the camp is the subject of a motion by defence lawyers Mitchell Chernovsky and Faisal Mirza, who allege their client was entrapped by Shaikh. He was found guilty in September and they are seeking to have his charge stayed. The accused was 17 at the time of the offence and attended the camp in Washago, Ont., which took place under the close watch of more than 200 covert officers. The defence have also argued Shaikh committed some of the same criminal acts their client is accused of. Court has heard Shaikh purchased supplies for the camp and provided transportation to it. Once there, he acted as a trainer, offered religious leadership, emphasized the militant nature of the jihad, helped set up military-style activities and provided firearms training with an illegal 9-mm gun. |
| Posted by:ryuge |