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Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week: Canadian Corporate Media The Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week was created to expose the fear mongers who are constantly trying to manipulate the public for increased power and financial gain. Suspects allegedly spoke of storming Parliament, beheading Harper Gregory Bonnell And Keith Leslie - CP \|\| June 14, 2006 Related - Canadian 'Terror Plot' Begins To Unravel BRAMPTON, Ont. (CP) - Bombings, an armed assault on Parliament and even the beheading of Prime Minister Stephen Harper were among a chilling miscellany of possible attacks that emerged Tuesday when the alleged architects of a massive terrorist plot made their second appearance in court. Ten men and five youths faced a packed courtroom as new details came to light about what the group was allegedly plotting before they were rounded up last Friday in what's been billed as Canada's largest post-9-11 counter-terrorism operation. The most hair-raising of the allegations were relayed by Gary Batasar, the lawyer for 25-year-old restaurant worker Steven Chand, who described a written synopsis of Crown allegations that also included taking politicians hostage and blowing up the CBC's Toronto headquarters. "The allegations . . . are quite serious, including storming and bombing of various buildings," Batasar told a crush of media outside the courthouse. "There's an allegation that my client personally indicated that he wanted to behead the prime minister of Canada." The synopsis prepared by the Crown was not read in open court or distributed to the media, making it difficult to assess how sophisticated or advanced the alleged plot and its various elements were beyond what Batasar made public. It included allegations that the group wanted to "storm the Parliament Buildings" and that Chand "would personally like to behead Stephen Harper," he added. Chand, bearded with shoulder-length hair, blew a kiss to supporters in the courtroom as he was led away in shackles and handcuffs. The group of 17 - two are already serving prison terms for gun offences and didn't appear in court - also allegedly planned to behead their hostages if demands such as the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the release of Muslim prisoners weren't met. In Ottawa, Harper appeared to take the news in stride. "I can live with these threats as long as they're not from my caucus," he joked. Batasar took pains to assail the Canadian authorities, as well as the U.S. government and President George W. Bush, for trying to foment fear among the public. "It appears to me that whether you're in Ottawa or Toronto or Crawford, Texas, or Washington, D.C., what is wanting to be instilled in the public is fear," he said. "That's precisely why everyone is here today, and that's unfortunate." Lawyer Donald McLeod, who represents 23-year-old Jahmaal James, complained of restricted access to his client, including only being allowed to speak to the accused through Plexiglas and not being allowed to have private discussions. "Whether or not it hampers their right, it's something that we, as counsel, would like to have," McLeod said. Lawyer Arif Raza, who represents 19-year-old Saad Khalid of Mississauga, Ont., said court was the only place he was able to talk to his client, who wasn't allowed to carry his business card. Denying a prisoner a private meeting with a lawyer is a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Raza said, adding that he'll mount a charter challenge if he doesn't get to speak with his client alone. "I think unequal treatment, just because of these allegations, is improper." Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com Federal prosecutor Jim Leising told the court he doesn't have the authority to dictate how the 15 are treated at the Maplehurst correctional facility in Milton, Ont., where they're being held. "I have nothing to do with the rules an institution imposes," he said. Raza said there was a dearth of details in court documents about the accusations against his client, except for allegations that Khalid attended a terror training camp north of Toronto and "was apprehended at the time of the fake delivery of the so-called ammonium nitrate." McLeod also complained that the accused were being refused their religious rights; a court order prohibits the 15 from communicating with each other. "They're Muslim," McLeod said. "Clearly they'd like to be able to pray as a group. I'd like to facilitate that religious freedom they're entitled to." He also complained the men in custody were not being given an opportunity to speak with their families, who packed the courtroom. Family members who arrived to support the accused in court were met by a horde of media from across Canada and the U.S., including CNN, the Los Angeles Times and most major television networks. Raza said family members of the accused have been shaken up by the whole ordeal, noting that their homes had been raided and "messed up" in the wake of the arrests. They just want their loved ones to be "justly treated," he said. The accused appeared before the court in separate groups. Of the 15 who appeared Tuesday, 14 will return to court Monday. Chand, James, Khalid, Asad Ansari, 21, Fahim Ahmad, 21, Zakaria Amara, 20, Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, and the five youths, none of whom can be identified, are all scheduled to return to court June 12. Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, will return on July 4 for a bail hearing. Ghany and Khalid also set bail hearings for later in the month, while one of the youths will have a bail hearing on June 16. About KDR \| \| Home \| \| Weekly Features Archive	Weekly Weekly Features Archive
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Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week:
Canadian Corporate Media

The Chicken Little Terrorist of the Week was created to expose the fear mongers who are constantly trying to manipulate the public for increased power and financial gain.

Armed Police Patrol Ontario

Suspects allegedly spoke of storming Parliament, beheading Harper

Gregory Bonnell And Keith Leslie - CP || June 14, 2006

Related - Canadian 'Terror Plot' Begins To Unravel

BRAMPTON, Ont. (CP) - Bombings, an armed assault on Parliament and even the beheading of Prime Minister Stephen Harper were among a chilling miscellany of possible attacks that emerged Tuesday when the alleged architects of a massive terrorist plot made their second appearance in court.

Ten men and five youths faced a packed courtroom as new details came to light about what the group was allegedly plotting before they were rounded up last Friday in what's been billed as Canada's largest post-9-11 counter-terrorism operation.

The most hair-raising of the allegations were relayed by Gary Batasar, the lawyer for 25-year-old restaurant worker Steven Chand, who described a written synopsis of Crown allegations that also included taking politicians hostage and blowing up the CBC's Toronto headquarters.

"The allegations . . . are quite serious, including storming and bombing of various buildings," Batasar told a crush of media outside the courthouse.

"There's an allegation that my client personally indicated that he wanted to behead the prime minister of Canada."

The synopsis prepared by the Crown was not read in open court or distributed to the media, making it difficult to assess how sophisticated or advanced the alleged plot and its various elements were beyond what Batasar made public.

It included allegations that the group wanted to "storm the Parliament Buildings" and that Chand "would personally like to behead Stephen Harper," he added.

Chand, bearded with shoulder-length hair, blew a kiss to supporters in the courtroom as he was led away in shackles and handcuffs.

The group of 17 - two are already serving prison terms for gun offences and didn't appear in court - also allegedly planned to behead their hostages if demands such as the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan and the release of Muslim prisoners weren't met.

In Ottawa, Harper appeared to take the news in stride.

"I can live with these threats as long as they're not from my caucus," he joked.

Batasar took pains to assail the Canadian authorities, as well as the U.S. government and President George W. Bush, for trying to foment fear among the public.

"It appears to me that whether you're in Ottawa or Toronto or Crawford, Texas, or Washington, D.C., what is wanting to be instilled in the public is fear," he said.

"That's precisely why everyone is here today, and that's unfortunate."

Lawyer Donald McLeod, who represents 23-year-old Jahmaal James, complained of restricted access to his client, including only being allowed to speak to the accused through Plexiglas and not being allowed to have private discussions.

"Whether or not it hampers their right, it's something that we, as counsel, would like to have," McLeod said.

Lawyer Arif Raza, who represents 19-year-old Saad Khalid of Mississauga, Ont., said court was the only place he was able to talk to his client, who wasn't allowed to carry his business card.

Denying a prisoner a private meeting with a lawyer is a violation of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, Raza said, adding that he'll mount a charter challenge if he doesn't get to speak with his client alone.

"I think unequal treatment, just because of these allegations, is improper."

Article Posted at www.KnowledgeDrivenRevolution.com

Federal prosecutor Jim Leising told the court he doesn't have the authority to dictate how the 15 are treated at the Maplehurst correctional facility in Milton, Ont., where they're being held.

"I have nothing to do with the rules an institution imposes," he said.

Raza said there was a dearth of details in court documents about the accusations against his client, except for allegations that Khalid attended a terror training camp north of Toronto and "was apprehended at the time of the fake delivery of the so-called ammonium nitrate."

McLeod also complained that the accused were being refused their religious rights; a court order prohibits the 15 from communicating with each other.

"They're Muslim," McLeod said. "Clearly they'd like to be able to pray as a group. I'd like to facilitate that religious freedom they're entitled to."

He also complained the men in custody were not being given an opportunity to speak with their families, who packed the courtroom.

Family members who arrived to support the accused in court were met by a horde of media from across Canada and the U.S., including CNN, the Los Angeles Times and most major television networks.

Raza said family members of the accused have been shaken up by the whole ordeal, noting that their homes had been raided and "messed up" in the wake of the arrests.

They just want their loved ones to be "justly treated," he said.

The accused appeared before the court in separate groups. Of the 15 who appeared Tuesday, 14 will return to court Monday.

Chand, James, Khalid, Asad Ansari, 21, Fahim Ahmad, 21, Zakaria Amara, 20, Qayyum Abdul Jamal, 43, Amin Mohamed Durrani, 19, Ahmad Mustafa Ghany, 21, and the five youths, none of whom can be identified, are all scheduled to return to court June 12.

Shareef Abdelhaleen, 30, will return on July 4 for a bail hearing.

Ghany and Khalid also set bail hearings for later in the month, while one of the youths will have a bail hearing on June 16.